Libration of Pluto's argument of perihelion and the role of the major planets
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866909650291523584 |
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| author | Ito, Takashi Malhotra, Renu |
| author_facet | Ito, Takashi Malhotra, Renu |
| contents | Pluto's argument of perihelion is known to librate around $90^\circ$. This libration is related to the secular phenomenon known as the von Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai (vZLK) oscillation. In this work, we make a quantitative assessment of the influence of Neptune's mean motion resonance and of the other giant planets' secular perturbations on the libration of Pluto's argument of perihelion. Here, a parameter $k^2 = (1-e^2) \cos^2 I$ is the key where $e$ is eccentricity and $I$ is inclination. When $k^2$ of a Pluto-like object is larger than a certain critical value, libration of its argument of perihelion would not occur. The secular effect of other disturbing planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus) plays a significant role in determining the critical $k^2$. The non-zero oscillation amplitude of the critical resonant argument also plays a role, although not a dominant one. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_21821 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Libration of Pluto's argument of perihelion and the role of the major planets Ito, Takashi Malhotra, Renu Earth and Planetary Astrophysics Pluto's argument of perihelion is known to librate around $90^\circ$. This libration is related to the secular phenomenon known as the von Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai (vZLK) oscillation. In this work, we make a quantitative assessment of the influence of Neptune's mean motion resonance and of the other giant planets' secular perturbations on the libration of Pluto's argument of perihelion. Here, a parameter $k^2 = (1-e^2) \cos^2 I$ is the key where $e$ is eccentricity and $I$ is inclination. When $k^2$ of a Pluto-like object is larger than a certain critical value, libration of its argument of perihelion would not occur. The secular effect of other disturbing planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus) plays a significant role in determining the critical $k^2$. The non-zero oscillation amplitude of the critical resonant argument also plays a role, although not a dominant one. |
| title | Libration of Pluto's argument of perihelion and the role of the major planets |
| topic | Earth and Planetary Astrophysics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.21821 |