On some dynamical properties of the Phocaea region

Abstract

In this work, we study two specific characteristics of the Phocaea region. First, we analyse the presence of the secular resonances involving the inner planets. Our results show that some of these are present, and relevant for the dynamics of asteroids in this region. The most important seems to be the s - s4 + g3 - g7 resonance. Secondly, we study the role of the 7/2 mean motion resonance with Jupiter as a border of the region in terms of semimajor axis. In particular, we check whether or not this resonance could be crossed under the combined influence of gravitational and non-gravitational forces. The obtained results show that a significant fraction of our test particles successfully transit across the resonance, without being removed from the region. Moreover, we found that most of the asteroids below a few hundred metres in diameter should be able to cross the 7/2 resonance. This means, despite being relatively effective in pumping up asteroid eccentricities in this region, this resonance is not an absolute dynamical boundary.