A simple and effective parametrisation for Earth-impacting orbits

Abstract

This work presents a new parametrisation suitable for parameter-space studies of heliocentric Earth-impacting orbits. Originally motivated by the issue of potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) and the mitigation of such a risk, we show that the simultaneous analysis of all the conceivable impacting elliptical orbits is greatly facilitated by the use of a parametrisation that involves only the true anomaly at impact, the eccentricity and the inclination. While the new parametrisation is presented from an explicit planetary-defence perspective, it is general enough to be useful in analogous studies.