On dynamical and physical evolution of 95P/Chiron as Centaurs representative

Abstract

The long-term orbital evolution modeling of 95P/Chiron (2060) is discussed with its implication to the physical evolution of this representative of Centaurs group. In this work we have carried out the orbital evolution modeling for 33 objects of Centaurs population, and for 2 distant Jupiter-family comets 39P/Oterma and 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1. The calculations were produced for 1 million years backward and forward from the present time. The Everhart implicit single sequence methods for integrating orbits were used. Due to discovered cometary activity in 2060 Chiron it is of interest to reveal Centaurs modeled orbits with small perihelion distances. Such orbits could lead to "waking up" of cometary nature in some Centaurs. The modeled orbital evolution patterns of Centaurs are analyzed and the fraction of potential candidates to comets are discussed.