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Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 3244 - 3247 (2000)

Stability of Halo Orbits

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J. E. Howard
Center for Integrated Plasma Studies, Campus Box 0390, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309

H. R. Dullin
Department of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, United Kingdom

M. Horányi
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics and Department of Physics, Campus Box 0392, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309

Featured in Physics News Update Received 23 November 1999

We predict new populations of trapped nonequatorial (“halo”) orbits of charged dust grains about an arbitrary axisymmetric planet. Simple equilibrium and stability conditions are derived, revealing dramatic differences between positively and negatively charged grains in prograde or retrograde orbits. Implications for the Cassini mission to Saturn are discussed.


©2000 The American Physical Society

URL: http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.3244
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.3244
PACS: 96.30.Wr, 45.50.Jf, 96.35.Kx

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