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Dynamics of Comets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2017

A. Carusi and
G.B. Valsecchi
A. Carusi
Affiliation:
IAS — Planetologia, viale dell'Università 11, 00185 Roma, Italy
G.B. Valsecchi
Affiliation:
IAS — Planetologia, viale dell'Università 11, 00185 Roma, Italy

Abstract

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The gravitational processes affecting the dynamics of comets are reviewed. At great distances from the Sun the motion of comets is primarily affected by the vertical component of the galactic field, as well as by encounters with stars and giant molecular clouds. When comets move in the region of the planets, encounters with these can strongly affect their motion. A good fraction of all periodic comets spend some time in temporary libration about mean motion resonances with Jupiter; some comets can be captured by this planet as temporary satellites. Finally, there is a small number of objects with orbital characteristics quite different from those of all other short-period comets.

Keywords

CometsDynamicsSolar System

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