Equilibrium Points and Orbits around Asteroid with the Full Gravitational Potential Caused by the 3D Irregular Shape

Abstract

We investigate the equilibrium points and orbits around asteroid 1333 Cevenola by considering the full gravitational potential caused by the 3D irregular shape. The gravitational potential and effective potential of asteroid 1333 Cevenola are calculated. The zero velocity curves for a massless particle orbiting in the gravitational environment have been discussed. The linearized dynamic equation, the characteristic equation, and the conserved quantity of the equilibria for the large size ratio binary asteroid system have been derived. It is found that there are totally five equilibrium points close to 1333 Cevenola. The topological cases of the outside equilibrium points have a staggered distribution. The simulation of orbits in the full gravitational potential caused by the 3D irregular shape of 1333 Cevenola shows that the moonlets orbit is more likely to be stable if the orbit inclination is small.