Asteroid research is of global security interest, we are more afraid about any impact of these asteroids on Earth. We seek through this work to provide a study on the effect of the asteroid’s shape on the gravity aspect. Knowledge of the potential is crucial to bodies approaching the asteroid. There is a range of asteroid shapes to consider. Some well-known asteroids such Ceres, Vesta, Iris and Oumuamua are considered in this study. After determining the moment of inertia of the asteroids depending on their materials, the gravity fields and the potential gravity of the asteroids are established when varying their shapes. A representation of the gravity field is given in three dimensional coordinate systems. Also, the behavior of the potential gravity is drawing in the function of the object’s location. The second part is dealing with the interpretation of all the obtained results in order to deduce some rules and features which would be useful for the identification of the asteroids. Thus, by the best knowledge of the effect of the asteroid’s shape, we would be more informed in the survey of the hazardous near earth objects.
References
[1]
Nesvorny, D., Voukrouhlicky, D., Bottke, W.F. and Sykers, M. (2006) Physical Properties of Asteroid Dust Bands and Their Sources. Icarus, 181, 107-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2005.10.022
[2]
Tanga, P., Cellino, A., Michel, P., Zappala, V., Paolicchi, P. and Dell’Oro, A. (1999) On the Size Distribution of Asteroid Families: The Role of Geometry. Icarus, 141, 65-78. https://doi.org/10.1006/icar.1999.6148
[3]
Scheeres, D.J. (2012) Orbit Mechanics about Asteroid and Comets. Journal of Guidance Control and Dynamics, 35, No. 3. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.57247
[4]
Rubincam, D.P. (1995) Asteroid Orbit Evolution Due to Thermal Drag. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planet, 100, 1585-1594. https://doi.org/10.1029/94JE02411
[5]
Hestroffer, D. (2004) On Equilibrium Shapes among Binary Asteroids. American Astronomical Society, 36, 861.
[6]
Chesley, S.R. (2005) Potential Impact Detection for Near Earth Asteroid: The Case of 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4). Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 1, 215-228. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921305006769
[7]
Melosh, H.J. (1989) Impact Cratering: A Geologic Process (Oxford Monographs on Geology and Geophysics, 11). Oxford University Press, New York.
[8]
Yeomans, D.K., Chodas, P.W., Keesey, M.S., Ostro, S.J. and Shapiro, J.F. (1992) Asteroid and Comet Orbit Using Radar Data. Astronimical Journal, 103, 303. https://doi.org/10.1086/116062
[9]
Reed, K.L., Graffey, M.J. and Lebofsky, L.A. (1997) Shape and Albedo Variations of Asteroid 15 Eunomia. Icarus, 125, 446-454. https://doi.org/10.1006/icar.1996.5627
[10]
Michalak, G. (2000) Determination of Asteroid Masses. (1) Ceres, (2) Pallas and (4) Vesta. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 360, 363-374. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20010731
[11]
Bennani, M. (2020) Essentials in Celestial Mechanics and Spacecraft Dynamics. ENSAM RABAT, Mohammed V University, Rabat.
[12]
Schaub, H. and Junkins, J.L. (2003) Analytics Mechanics of Space. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Reston. https://doi.org/10.2514/4.861550 https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/book/10.2514/4.861550
[13]
Hintz, G.R. (2015) Orbital Mechanics and Astrodynamics: Techniques and Tools for Space Missions. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09444-1
