The resonant dynamical evolution of small body orbits among giant planets

¹ Space Research Centre, ul. Bartycka 18A, 00-716 Warszawa, Poland e-mail: r.gabryszewski@cbk.waw.pl
² Astronomical Observatory of the Chorzów Planetarium, WPKiW, 41-501 Chorzów, Poland e-mail: astrobit@ka.onet.pl

Corresponding author: R. Gabryszewski, r.gabryszewski@cbk.waw.pl

Received: 15 January 2003
Accepted: 25 April 2003

Abstract

Mean motion resonances (MMRs) can lead either to chaotic or regular motion. We report on a numerical experiment showing that even in one of the most chaotic regions of the Solar System – the region of the giant planets, there are numerous bands where MMRs can stabilize orbits of small bodies in a time span comparable to their lifetimes. Two types of temporary stabilization were observed: short period (~10⁴ years) when a body was in a MMR with only one planet and long period (over 10⁵ years) when a body is located in overlapping MMRs with two or three planets. 
The experiment showed that the Main Belt region can be enriched by cometary material in its pre-active state due to temporary resonant interactions between small bodies and giant planets.