High-order regularised symplectic integrator for collisional planetary systems

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Documents

  • Fulltext

    Final published version, 3.85 MB, PDF document

We present a new mixed variable symplectic (MVS) integrator for planetary systems that fully resolves close encounters. The method is based on a time regularisation that allows keeping the stability properties of the symplectic integrators while also reducing the effective step size when two planets encounter. We used a high-order MVS scheme so that it was possible to integrate with large time-steps far away from close encounters. We show that this algorithm is able to resolve almost exact collisions (i.e. with a mutual separation of a fraction of the physical radius) while using the same time-step as in a weakly perturbed problem such as the solar system. We demonstrate the long-term behaviour in systems of six super-Earths that experience strong scattering for 50 kyr. We compare our algorithm to hybrid methods such as MERCURY and show that for an equivalent cost, we obtain better energy conservation.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberA32
JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics
Volume628
Number of pages13
ISSN0004-6361
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 A. C. Petit et al.

    Research areas

  • Celestial mechanics, Methods: Numerical, Planets and satellites: Dynamical evolution and stability

ID: 327138388