Librations with Mass Transfer in the Sun-Jupiter System

Abstract

Trojan-type motion is analytically and numerically studied under mass transfer between the primaries with conservation of their total orbital angular momentum. We prove theoretically and numerically our new result that angular libration widths change as m^1/4, (m - Jupiter mass) if they are throughout smaller than about 60 arcd. Numerical examples show that for initial libration widths larger than about 60 arcd, the Trojan is ultimately driven out of the libration domain, becoming an ordinary asteroid, if Jupiter's transferred mass increases by a factor less than about two. Certain processes occurring in our solar system and in extrasolar planetary systems lead to a decrease of the Trojan's libration amplitude, while other processes lead to an increase, respectively.