P. Michel et C. Froeschle, Dynamics of small earth-approachers on low-eccentricity orbits and implications for their origins, CEL MEC DYN, 78(1-4), 2000, pp. 93-112
The population of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) appears to be overabundant at
sizes smaller than 50m, compared to a power-law extrapolation from kilomet
er-sized objects. Several of these small NEAs are also concentrated on low-
eccentricity orbits, where a few larger Earth-crossers are observed, and ar
e called Small Earth-Approachers (SEAs). Their source region as well as the
dynamical mechanisms involved in their transport close to the Earth on low
-eccentricity orbits have not yet been determined. In this paper, we presen
t our numerical and statistical study of the production and dynamical evolu
tion of these SEAs. We first show that three main sources of Earth-crossers
which are, according to recent simulations, the 3/1 and v(6) resonances in
the main belt, and the Mars-crosser population, are not able to produce as
many bodies on SEAs-like orbits compared to other Earth-crossing orbits as
has been inferred from observations. From these sources, SEAs-like orbits
are reached through the interplay of two required mechanisms: secular reson
ances and planetary close approaches. However, the time spent on these orbi
ts remains smaller than I Myr as confirmed by the study of the evolutions o
f 11 observed SEAs which also reveal the action of various mechanisms such
as close approaches to planets and/or secular resonances. Therefore, our re
sults present some mechanisms which can be responsible for their production
but none that would preserve the lifetime of the SEAs sufficiently to enha
nce their abundance relative to other Earth-crossing orbits at the level ob
served. The overabundance of the SEA population, if real, remains a problem
and could be related to the influence of collisional disruption and tidal
splitting of Earth-crossers, as well as to observational biases that might
account for a discrepancy between theory and observation.