Orbital resonance
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- Orbital Resonance is also the title of a science fiction novel by John Barnes.
In celestial mechanics, orbital resonance occurs when two orbiting bodies have periods of revolution that are in a simple integer ratio so that they exert a regular gravitational influence on each other. This can stabilize the orbits and protect them from gravitational perturbation. For instance:
- Pluto and some smaller bodies called Plutinos were saved from ejection by a 3:2 resonance with Neptune.
- The Trojan asteroids may be regarded as being protected by a 1:1 resonance with Jupiter.
- The extrasolar planets Gliese 876b and Gliese 876c are in a 2:1 orbital resonance
Orbital resonance can also destabilize one of the orbits. For instance:
- There is a series of almost empty lanes in the asteroid belt called Kirkwood gaps where the asteroids would be in resonance with Jupiter.
A Laplace resonance occurs when three or more orbiting bodies have a simple integer ratio between their orbital periods. For example, Jupiter's moons Ganymede, Europa, and Io are in a 1:2:4 orbital resonance.