The Precise and Powerful Chaos of the 5:2 Mean Motion Resonance with Jupiter

TL;DR

This study analyzes the chaotic dynamics of the 5:2 mean motion resonance with Jupiter, revealing its role as a source of Near-Earth Objects and pathways for orbital migration, with detailed dynamical maps and particle simulations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed dynamical map of the 5:2 resonance and demonstrates its significance in generating Near-Earth Objects and orbital transport routes.

Findings

99.5% of particles became Near-Earth Objects

23.4% migrated below 1 AU semi-major axis

Over 57% entered Earth's Hill sphere

Abstract

This work reexamines the dynamics of the 5:2 mean motion resonance with Jupiter located in the Outer Belt at $a\sim 2.82$ AU. First, we compute dynamical maps revealing the precise structure of chaos inside the resonance. Being interested to verify the chaotic structures as sources of natural transportation routes, we additionally integrate 1000 massless particles initially placed along them and follow their orbital histories up to 5 Myr. As many as 99.5\% of our test particles became Near-Earth Objects, 23.4\% migrated to semi-major axis below 1 AU and more than 57\% entered the Hill sphere of Earth. We have also observed a borderline defined by the $q \simeq 2.6$ AU perihelion distance along which particles escape from the Solar System.