Abstract
ABSTRACT Wesimulated more than a hundred possible orbits of the Neptune Trojan 2001 QR322 forthe age of the Solar system. The orbits were generated randomly according to the probabilitydensity derived from the covariance matrix of the orbital elements. The test trajectories libratearound NeptuneOs L 4 point, with amplitudes varying from 40 to 75 and libration periodsvarying from 8900 to 9300 yr. The 18 secular resonance plays an important role. There is aseparatrix of the resonance so that the resonant angle switches irregularly between librationand circulation. The orbits are chaotic, with observed Lyapunov times from 1.7 to 20 Myr,approximately. The probability of escape to a non-Trojan orbit in our simulations was low, andonlyoccurredfororbitsstartingnearthelow-probabilityedgeoftheorbitalelementdistribution(largest values of initial semimajor axis and small eccentricity). This suggests that the Trojanmay well be a primordial object. Key words: celestial mechanics — minor planets, asteroids — Solar system: general.
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