# Posts Tagged solar system

## Recent Postings from solar system

### Tests of Gravitation at Solar System scales beyond the PPN formalism [Cross-Listing]

In this communication, the current tests of gravitation available at Solar System scales are recalled. These tests rely mainly on two frameworks: the PPN framework and the search for a fifth force. Some motivations are given to look for deviations from General Relativity in other frameworks than the two extensively considered. A recent analysis of Cassini data in a MOND framework is presented. Furthermore, possibilities to constrain Standard Model Extension parameters using Solar System data are developed.

### Tests of Gravitation at Solar System scales beyond the PPN formalism

In this communication, the current tests of gravitation available at Solar System scales are recalled. These tests rely mainly on two frameworks: the PPN framework and the search for a fifth force. Some motivations are given to look for deviations from General Relativity in other frameworks than the two extensively considered. A recent analysis of Cassini data in a MOND framework is presented. Furthermore, possibilities to constrain Standard Model Extension parameters using Solar System data are developed.

### Inheritance of solar short- and long-lived radionuclides from molecular clouds and the unexceptional nature of the solar system

Apparent excesses in early-solar $^{26}$Al, $^{36}$Cl, $^{41}$Ca, and $^{60}$Fe disappear if one accounts for ejecta from massive-star winds concentrated into dense phases of the ISM in star-forming regions. The removal of apparent excesses is evident when wind yields from Wolf-Rayet stars are included in the plot of radionuclide abundances vs. mean life. The resulting trend indicates that the solar radionuclides were inherited from parental molecular clouds with a characteristic residence time of 10$^8$ years. This residence time is of the same order as the present-day timescale for conversion of molecular cloud material into stars. The concentrations of these extinct isotopes in the early solar system need not signify injection from unusual proximal stellar sources, but instead are well explained by normal concentrations in average star-forming clouds. The results imply that the efficiency of capture is greater for stellar winds than for supernova ejecta proximal to star-forming regions.

### Dark Matter as a Trigger for Periodic Comet Impacts

Although statistical evidence is not overwhelming, possible support for an approximately 35 million year periodicity in the crater record on Earth could indicate a nonrandom underlying enhancement of meteorite impacts at regular intervals. A proposed explanation in terms of tidal effects on Oort cloud comet perturbations as the Solar System passes through the galactic midplane is hampered by lack of an underlying cause for sufficiently enhanced gravitational effects over a sufficiently short time interval and by the time frame between such possible enhancements. We show that a smooth dark disk in the galactic midplane would address both these issues and create a periodic enhancement of the sort that has potentially been observed. Such a disk is motivated by a novel dark matter component with dissipative cooling that we considered in earlier work. We show how to evaluate the statistical evidence for periodicity by input of appropriate measured priors from the galactic model, justifying or ruling out periodic cratering with more confidence than by evaluating the data without an underlying model. We find that, marginalizing over astrophysical uncertainties, the likelihood ratio for such a model relative to one with a constant cratering rate is 3.0, which moderately favors the dark disk model. Our analysis furthermore yields a posterior distribution that, based on current crater data, singles out a dark matter disk surface density of approximately 10 solar masses per square parsec. The geological record thereby motivates a particular model of dark matter that will be probed in the near future.

### A New Hypothesis On The Origin and Formation of The Solar And Extrasolar Planetary Systems

A new theoretical hypothesis on the origin and formation of the solar and extrasolar planetary systems is summarized and briefly discussed in the light of recent detections of extrasolar planets, and studies of shock wave interaction with molecular clouds, as well as H. Alfven’s work on Sun’s magnetic field and its effect on the formation of the solar system (1962). We propose that all objects in a planetary system originate from a small group of dense fragments in a giant molecular cloud (GMC). The mechanism of one or more shock waves, which propagate through the protoplanetary disk during the star formation is necessary to trigger rapid cascade fragmentation of dense clumps which in turn collapse quickly, simultaneously, and individually to form multi-planet and multi-satellite systems. Magnetic spin resonance may be the cause of the rotational directions of newly formed planets to couple and align in the strong magnetic field of a younger star.

### Coronal Mass Ejections and Angular Momentum Loss in Young Stars

In our own solar system, the necessity of understanding space weather is readily evident. Fortunately for Earth, our nearest stellar neighbor is relatively quiet, exhibiting activity levels several orders of magnitude lower than young, solar-type stars. In protoplanetary systems, stellar magnetic phenomena observed are analogous to the solar case, but dramatically enhanced on all physical scales: bigger, more energetic, more frequent. While coronal mass ejections (CMEs) could play a signi?cant role in the evolution of protoplanets, they could also a?ffect the evolution of the central star itself. To assess the consequences of prominence eruption/CMEs, we have invoked the solar-stellar connection to estimate, for young, solar-type stars, how frequently stellar CMEs may occur and their attendant mass and angular momentum loss rates. We will demonstrate the necessary conditions under which CMEs could slow stellar rotation.

### The Puzzling Mutual Orbit of the Binary Trojan Asteroid (624) Hektor

Asteroids with satellites are natural laboratories to constrain the formation and evolution of our solar system. The binary Trojan asteroid (624) Hektor is the only known Trojan asteroid to possess a small satellite. Based on W.M. Keck adaptive optics observations, we found a unique and stable orbital solution, which is uncommon in comparison to the orbits of other large multiple asteroid systems studied so far. From lightcurve observations recorded since 1957, we showed that because the large Req=125-km primary may be made of two joint lobes, the moon could be ejecta of the low-velocity encounter, which formed the system. The inferred density of Hektor’s system is comparable to the L5 Trojan doublet (617) Patroclus but due to their difference in physical properties and in reflectance spectra, both captured Trojan asteroids could have a different composition and origin.

### Gravitational scattering by giant planets

We seek to characterize giant-planet systems by their gravitational scattering properties. We do this to a given system by integrating it numerically along with a large number of hypothetical small bodies that are initially in eccentric habitable zone (HZ)-crossing orbits. Our analysis produces a single number, the escape rate, which represents the rate at which the small-body flux is perturbed away by the giant planets into orbits that no longer pose a threat to terrestrial planets inside the HZ. Obtaining the escape rate this way is similar to computing the largest Liapunov exponent as the exponential rate of divergence of two nearby orbits. For a terrestrial planet inside the HZ, the escape rate value quantifies the "protective" effect that the studied giant-planet system offers. Therefore, escape rates could provide information on whether certain giant-planet configurations produce a more desirable environment for life than the others. We present some computed escape rates on selected planetary systems, focusing on effects of varying the masses and semi-major axes of the giant planets. In the case of our Solar System we find rather surprisingly that Jupiter, in its current orbit, may provide a minimal amount of protection to the Earth.

### Tests of In-Situ Formation Scenarios for Compact Multiplanet Systems

Kepler has identified over 600 multiplanet systems, many of which have several planets with orbital distances smaller than that of Mercury — quite different from the Solar System. Because these systems may be difficult to explain in the paradigm of core accretion and disk migration, it has been suggested that they formed in situ within protoplanetary disks with high solid surface densities. The strong connection between giant planet occurrence and stellar metallicity is thought to be linked to enhanced solid surface densities in disks around metal-rich stars, so the presence of a giant planet can be a detectable sign of planet formation in a high solid surface density disk. I formulate quantitative predictions for the frequency of long-period giant planets in these in situ models of planet formation by translating the proposed increase in disk mass into an equivalent metallicity enhancement. I rederive the scaling of giant planet occurrence with metallicity as P_gp = 0.05_{-0.02}^{+0.02} x 10^{(2.1 +/- 0.4) [M/H]} = 0.08_{-0.03}^{+0.02} x 10^{(2.3 +/- 0.4) [Fe/H]} and show that there is significant tension between the frequency of giant planets suggested by the minimum mass extrasolar nebula scenario and the observational upper limits. This fact suggests that high-mass disks alone cannot explain the observed properties of the close-in Kepler multiplanet systems and that migration is still a necessary contributor to their formation. More speculatively, I combine the metallicity scaling of giant planet occurrence with recently published small planet occurrence rates to estimate the number of Solar System analogs in the Galaxy. I find that in the Milky Way there are perhaps 4 x 10^6 true Solar System analogs with an FGK star hosting both a terrestrial planet in the habitable zone and a long-period giant planet companion.

### Tests of In-Situ Formation Scenarios for Compact Multiplanet Systems [Replacement]

Kepler has identified over 600 multiplanet systems, many of which have several planets with orbital distances smaller than that of Mercury — quite different from the Solar System. Because these systems may be difficult to explain in the paradigm of core accretion and disk migration, it has been suggested that they formed in situ within protoplanetary disks with high solid surface densities. The strong connection between giant planet occurrence and stellar metallicity is thought to be linked to enhanced solid surface densities in disks around metal-rich stars, so the presence of a giant planet can be a detectable sign of planet formation in a high solid surface density disk. I formulate quantitative predictions for the frequency of long-period giant planets in these in situ models of planet formation by translating the proposed increase in disk mass into an equivalent metallicity enhancement. I rederive the scaling of giant planet occurrence with metallicity as P_gp = 0.05_{-0.02}^{+0.02} x 10^{(2.1 +/- 0.4) [M/H]} = 0.08_{-0.03}^{+0.02} x 10^{(2.3 +/- 0.4) [Fe/H]} and show that there is significant tension between the frequency of giant planets suggested by the minimum mass extrasolar nebula scenario and the observational upper limits. This fact suggests that high-mass disks alone cannot explain the observed properties of the close-in Kepler multiplanet systems and that migration is still a necessary contributor to their formation. More speculatively, I combine the metallicity scaling of giant planet occurrence with recently published small planet occurrence rates to estimate the number of Solar System analogs in the Galaxy. I find that in the Milky Way there are perhaps 4 x 10^6 true Solar System analogs with an FGK star hosting both a terrestrial planet in the habitable zone and a long-period giant planet companion.

### Constraints on MOND theory from radio tracking data of the Cassini spacecraft [Cross-Listing]

The MOdified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) is an attempt to modify the gravitation theory to solve the Dark Matter problem. This phenomenology is very successful at the galactic level. The main effect produced by MOND in the Solar System is called the External Field Effect parametrized by the parameter $Q_2$. We have used 9 years of Cassini range and Doppler measurements to constrain $Q_2$. Our estimate of this parameter based on Cassini data is given by $Q_2=(3 \pm 3)\times 10^{-27} \ \rm{s^{-2}}$ which shows no deviation from General Relativity and excludes a large part of the relativistic MOND theories.

### Constraints on MOND theory from radio tracking data of the Cassini spacecraft

The MOdified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) is an attempt to modify the gravitation theory to solve the Dark Matter problem. This phenomenology is very successful at the galactic level. The main effect produced by MOND in the Solar System is called the External Field Effect parametrized by the parameter $Q_2$. We have used 9 years of Cassini range and Doppler measurements to constrain $Q_2$. Our estimate of this parameter based on Cassini data is given by $Q_2=(3 \pm 3)\times 10^{-27} \ \rm{s^{-2}}$ which shows no deviation from General Relativity and excludes a large part of the relativistic MOND theories.

### A study of the high-inclination population in the Kuiper belt - II. The Twotinos

As the second part of our study, in this paper we proceed to explore the dynamics of the high-inclination Twotinos in the 1:2 Neptune mean motion resonance (NMMR). Depending on the inclination $i$, we show the existence of two critical eccentricities $e_a(i)$ and $e_c(i)$, which are lower limits for the eccentricity $e$ for the resonant angle $\sigma$ to exhibit libration and asymmetric libration, respectively. Accordingly, we have determined the libration centres $\sigma_0$ for inclined orbits, which are strongly dependent on $i$ and could be very different from the zero-$i$ case. With the initial $\sigma=\sigma_0$ on a fine grid of $(e, i)$, the long-term stability of orbits in the 1:2 NMMR is probed by numerical integrations for the age of the Solar system. It is shown that symmetric librators are totally unstable for $i\ge30^{\circ}$; while stable asymmetric librators do exist for $i$ as high as $90^{\circ}$, and they generally have resonant amplitudes $A_{\sigma}<50^{\circ}$. We further investigate the 1:2 NMMR capture and retention of planetesimals with initial inclinations $i_0\le90^{\circ}$ in the planet migration model using a long time-scale of $2\times10^7$ yr. We find that: (1) the capture efficiency of the 1:2 NMMR decreases drastically with the increase of $i_0$, and it goes to 0 when $i_0$ exceeds $\sim60^{\circ}$; (2) the probability of discovering Twotinos with $i>25^{\circ}$, beyond their observed values, is roughly estimated to be only $\sim0.1$ per cent; (3) more particles are captured into the leading rather than the trailing asymmetric resonance for $i_0\le10^{\circ}$, but this number difference appears to be the opposite at $i_0=20^{\circ}$ and is continuously varying for even larger $i_0$; (4) captured Twotinos residing in the trailing islands or having $i>15^{\circ}$ are practically outside the Kozai mechanism, like currently observed samples.

### A study of the high-inclination population in the Kuiper belt - II. The Twotinos [Replacement]

As the second part of our study, in this paper we proceed to explore the dynamics of the high-inclination Twotinos in the 1:2 Neptune mean motion resonance (NMMR). Depending on the inclination $i$, we show the existence of two critical eccentricities $e_a(i)$ and $e_c(i)$, which are lower limits for the eccentricity $e$ for the resonant angle $\sigma$ to exhibit libration and asymmetric libration, respectively. Accordingly, we have determined the libration centres $\sigma_0$ for inclined orbits, which are strongly dependent on $i$ and could be very different from the zero-$i$ case. With the initial $\sigma=\sigma_0$ on a fine grid of $(e, i)$, the long-term stability of orbits in the 1:2 NMMR is probed by numerical integrations for the age of the Solar system. It is shown that symmetric librators are totally unstable for $i\ge30^{\circ}$; while stable asymmetric librators do exist for $i$ as high as $90^{\circ}$, and they generally have resonant amplitudes $A_{\sigma}<50^{\circ}$. We further investigate the 1:2 NMMR capture and retention of planetesimals with initial inclinations $i_0\le90^{\circ}$ in the planet migration model using a long time-scale of $2\times10^7$ yr. We find that: (1) the capture efficiency of the 1:2 NMMR decreases drastically with the increase of $i_0$, and it goes to 0 when $i_0$ exceeds $\sim60^{\circ}$; (2) the probability of discovering Twotinos with $i>25^{\circ}$, beyond their observed values, is roughly estimated to be only $\sim0.1$ per cent; (3) more particles are captured into the leading rather than the trailing asymmetric resonance for $i_0\le10^{\circ}$, but this number difference appears to be the opposite at $i_0=20^{\circ}$ and is continuously varying for even larger $i_0$; (4) captured Twotinos residing in the trailing islands or having $i>15^{\circ}$ are practically outside the Kozai mechanism, like currently observed samples.

### Testing Relativistic Gravity with Radio Pulsars

Before the 1970s, precision tests for gravity theories were constrained to the weak gravitational fields of the Solar system. Hence, only the weak-field slow-motion aspects of relativistic celestial mechanics could be investigated. Testing gravity beyond the first post-Newtonian contributions was for a long time out of reach. The discovery of the first binary pulsar by Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor in the summer of 1974 initiated a completely new field for testing the relativistic dynamics of gravitationally interacting bodies. For the first time the back reaction of gravitational wave emission on the binary motion could be studied. Furthermore, the Hulse-Taylor pulsar provided the first test bed for the orbital dynamics of strongly self-gravitating bodies. To date there are a number of pulsars known, which can be utilized for precision test of gravity. Depending on their orbital properties and their companion, these pulsars provide tests for various different aspects of relativistic dynamics. Besides tests of specific gravity theories, like general relativity or scalar-tensor gravity, there are pulsars that allow for generic constraints on potential deviations of gravity from general relativity in the quasi-stationary strong-field and the radiative regime. This article presents a brief overview of this modern field of relativistic celestial mechanics, reviews some of the highlights of gravity tests with radio pulsars, and discusses their implications for gravitational physics and astronomy, including the upcoming gravitational wave astronomy.

### Multi-Wavelength Observations of Comet C/2011 L4 (Pan-Starrs)

Dynamically new comet C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) is one of the brightest comets since the great comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). Here, we present our multi-wavelength observations of C/2011 L4 during its in-bound passage to the inner Solar system. A strong absorption band of water ice at 2.0 $\mu$m was detected in the near infrared spectra, taken with the 8-m Gemini-North and 3-m IRTF telescopes. The companion 1.5 $\mu$m band of water ice, however, was not observed. Spectral modeling show that the absence of the 1.5 $\mu$m feature can be explained by the presence of sub-micron-sized fine ice grains. No gas lines (i.e. CN, HCN or CO) were observed pre-perihelion either in the optical or in the sub-millimeter. 3-$\sigma$ upper limits to the CN and CO production rates were derived. The comet exhibited a very strong continuum in the optical and its slope seemed to become redder as the comet approached the Sun. Our observations suggest that C/2011 L4 is an unusually dust-rich comet with a dust-to-gas mass ratio $>$ 4.

### Can TeVeS be a viable theory of gravity? [Cross-Listing]

Among modified gravitational theories, the Tensor-Vector-Scalar (TeVeS) occupies a special place — it is a covariant theory of gravity that produces the modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) in the nonrelativistic weak field limit and explains the astrophysical data by all means better than the GR, at scales larger than that of the Solar System. We show that, in contrast with other modified theories, TeVeS is free from ghosts. These achievements make TeVeS (and its nonrelativistic limit) a viable theory of gravity. A speculative outlook on the emergence of TeVeS from a quantum theory is presented.

### Can TeVeS be a viable theory of gravity?

Among modified gravitational theories, the Tensor-Vector-Scalar (TeVeS) occupies a special place — it is a covariant theory of gravity that produces the modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) in the nonrelativistic weak field limit and explains the astrophysical data by all means better than the GR, at scales larger than that of the Solar System. We show that, in contrast with other modified theories, TeVeS is free from ghosts. These achievements make TeVeS (and its nonrelativistic limit) a viable theory of gravity. A speculative outlook on the emergence of TeVeS from a quantum theory is presented.

### On the evolution of the CO snow line in protoplanetary disks

CO is thought to be a vital building block for prebiotic molecules that are necessary for life. Thus, understanding where CO existed in a solid phase within the solar nebula is important for understanding the origin of life. We model the evolution of the CO snow line in a protoplanetary disk. We find that the current observed location of the CO snow line in our solar system, and in the solar system analogue TW Hydra, cannot be explained by a fully turbulent disk model. With time-dependent disk models we find that the inclusion of a dead zone (a region of low turbulence) can resolve this problem. Furthermore, we obtain a fully analytic solution for the CO snow line radius for late disk evolutionary times. This will be useful for future observational attempts to characterize the demographics and predict the composition and habitability of exoplanets.

### The evolution of the galaxy and the birth of the solar system: The short-lived nuclides connection

An attempt is made, probably for the first time, to understand the origin of the solar system in context with the evolution of the galaxy as a natural consequence of the birth of several generations of stellar clusters. The galaxy is numerically simulated to deduce the inventories of the short-lived nuclides, 26Al, 36Cl, 41Ca, 53Mn and 60Fe, from the stellar nucleosynthetic contributions of the various stellar clusters using an N-body simulation with updated prescriptions of the astrophysical processes. The galaxy is evolved by considering the discreteness associated with the stellar clusters and individual stars. We estimate the steady state abundance of the radionuclides around 4.56 billion years ago at the time of formation of the solar system. Further, we also estimate the present 26Al/27Al and 60Fe/56Fe of the interstellar medium that match within a factor of two with the observed estimates. On contrary to the conventional galactic chemical evolution (GCE) model, the present adopted numerical approach provides a natural framework to understand the astrophysical environment related with the origin of the solar system. We deduce the nature of the two stellar clusters; the one that formed and evolved prior to the solar system formation, and the other within which the solar system probably formed. The former could have contributed the short-lived nuclides 129I and 53Mn, whereas, the supernova associated with the most massive star in the latter contributed 26Al and 60Fe to the solar system. The analysis was performed with the revised solar metallicity of 0.014.

### The Scientific Case for a Mission to the Ice Giant Planets with Twin Spacecraft to Unveil the History of our Solar System [Cross-Listing]

In the course of the selection of the scientific themes of the second and third L-class missions of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program of the European Space Agency, the exploration of the ice giant planets Uranus and Neptune was defined "a timely milestone, fully appropriate for an L class mission". Among the proposed scientific themes, in the white paper "The ODINUS Mission Concept" we discussed the scientific case of exploring both planets and their satellites in the framework of a single L-class mission and proposed a mission scenario that could allow to achieve this result. In this work we present an updated and more complete discussion of the scientific rationale for a comparative exploration of the ice giant planets Uranus and Neptune and of their satellite systems. The first goal of comparatively studying these two similar yet extremely different systems is to shed new light on the ancient past of the Solar System and on the processes that shaped its formation and evolution. This, in turn, would reveal whether the Solar System and the very diverse extrasolar systems discovered so far all share a common origin or if different environments and mechanisms were responsible for their formation. A space mission to the ice giants would also open up the possibility to use Uranus and Neptune as templates in the study of one of the most abundant type of extrasolar planets in the galaxy. Finally, such a mission would allow a detailed study of the interplanetary and gravitational environments at a range of distances from the Sun poorly covered by direct exploration, improving the constraints on the fundamental theories of gravitation and on the behaviour of the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field.

### The Scientific Case for a Mission to the Ice Giant Planets with Twin Spacecraft to Unveil the History of our Solar System

In the course of the selection of the scientific themes of the second and third L-class missions of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program of the European Space Agency, the exploration of the ice giant planets Uranus and Neptune was defined "a timely milestone, fully appropriate for an L class mission". Among the proposed scientific themes, in the white paper "The ODINUS Mission Concept" we discussed the scientific case of exploring both planets and their satellites in the framework of a single L-class mission and proposed a mission scenario that could allow to achieve this result. In this work we present an updated and more complete discussion of the scientific rationale for a comparative exploration of the ice giant planets Uranus and Neptune and of their satellite systems. The first goal of comparatively studying these two similar yet extremely different systems is to shed new light on the ancient past of the Solar System and on the processes that shaped its formation and evolution. This, in turn, would reveal whether the Solar System and the very diverse extrasolar systems discovered so far all share a common origin or if different environments and mechanisms were responsible for their formation. A space mission to the ice giants would also open up the possibility to use Uranus and Neptune as templates in the study of one of the most abundant type of extrasolar planets in the galaxy. Finally, such a mission would allow a detailed study of the interplanetary and gravitational environments at a range of distances from the Sun poorly covered by direct exploration, improving the constraints on the fundamental theories of gravitation and on the behaviour of the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field.

### The ODINUS Mission Concept - The Scientific Case for a Mission to the Ice Giant Planets with Twin Spacecraft to Unveil the History of our Solar System

The purpose of this document is to discuss the scientific case of a space mission to the ice giants Uranus and Neptune and their satellite systems and its relevance to advance our understanding of the ancient past of the Solar System and, more generally, of how planetary systems form and evolve. As a consequence, the leading theme of this proposal will be the first scientific theme of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program: What are the conditions for planetary formation and the emergence of life? In pursuing its goals, the present proposal will also address the second and third scientific theme of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program, i.e.: How does the Solar System work? What are the fundamental physical laws of the Universe? The mission concept we will illustrate in the following will be referred to through the acronym ODINUS, this acronym being derived from its main fields of scientific investigation: Origins, Dynamics and Interiors of Neptunian and Uranian Systems. As the name suggests, the ODINUS mission is based on the use of two twin spacecraft to perform the exploration of the ice giants and their regular and irregular satellites with the same set of instruments. This will allow to perform a comparative study of these two systems so similar and yet so different and to unveil their histories and that of the Solar System.

### The ODINUS Mission Concept - The Scientific Case for a Mission to the Ice Giant Planets with Twin Spacecraft to Unveil the History of our Solar System [Replacement]

The purpose of this document is to discuss the scientific case of a space mission to the ice giants Uranus and Neptune and their satellite systems and its relevance to advance our understanding of the ancient past of the Solar System and, more generally, of how planetary systems form and evolve. As a consequence, the leading theme of this proposal will be the first scientific theme of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program: What are the conditions for planetary formation and the emergence of life? In pursuing its goals, the present proposal will also address the second and third scientific theme of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program, i.e.: How does the Solar System work? What are the fundamental physical laws of the Universe? The mission concept we will illustrate in the following will be referred to through the acronym ODINUS, this acronym being derived from its main fields of scientific investigation: Origins, Dynamics and Interiors of Neptunian and Uranian Systems. As the name suggests, the ODINUS mission is based on the use of two twin spacecraft to perform the exploration of the ice giants and their regular and irregular satellites with the same set of instruments. This will allow to perform a comparative study of these two systems so similar and yet so different and to unveil their histories and that of the Solar System.

### An Oort cloud origin of the Halley-type comets

The origin of the Halley-type comets (HTCs) is one of the last mysteries of the dynamical evolution of the Solar System. Prior investigation into their origin has focused on two source regions: the Oort cloud and the Scattered Disc. From the former it has been difficult to reproduce the non-isotropic, prograde skew in the inclination distribution of the observed HTCs without invoking a multi-component Oort cloud model and specific fading of the comets. The Scattered Disc origin fares better but suffers from needing an order of magnitude more mass than is currently advocated by theory and observations. Here we revisit the Oort cloud origin and include cometary fading. Our observational sample stems from the JPL catalogue. We only keep comets discovered and observed after 1950 but place no a priori restriction on the maximum perihelion distance of observational completeness. We then numerically evolve half a million comets from the Oort cloud through the realm of the giant planets and keep track of their number of perihelion passages with perihelion distance q<2.5AU, below which the activity is supposed to increase considerably. We can simultaneously fit the HTC inclination and semi-major axis distribution very well with a power law fading function of the form m^-k, where m is the number of perihelion passages with q<2.5 AU and k is the fading index. We match both the inclination and semi-major axis distributions when k~1 and the maximum imposed perihelion distance of the observed sample is q~1.8AU. The value of k is higher than the one obtained for the Long-Period Comets (LPCs), with k~0.7. This increase in k is most likely the result of cometary surface processes. We argue the HTC sample is now most likely complete for q<1.8AU. We calculate that the steady-state number of active HTCs with diameter D>2.3km and q<1.8AU is of the order of 100.

### On the Decades-Long Stability of the Interstellar Wind through the Solar System

We have revisited the series of observations recently used to infer a temporal variation of the interstellar helium flow over the last forty years. Concerning the recent IBEX-Lo direct detection of Helium neutrals, there are two types of precise and unambiguous measurements which do not rely on the exact response of the instrument: the count rate maxima as a function of the spin angle, which determines the ecliptic latitude of the flow, and the count rate maxima as a function of IBEX longitude, which determines a tight relationship between the ecliptic longitude of the flow and its velocity far from the Sun. These measurements provide parameters (and couples of parameters in the second case) remarkably similar to the canonical, old values. In contrast, the preferential choice of a lower velocity and higher longitude reported before from IBEX data is based only on the count rate variation (at each spin phase maximum) as a function of the satellite longitude, when drifting across the region of high fluxes. We have examined the consequences of dead time counting effects, and conclude that their inclusion at a realistic level is sufficient to reconcile the data with the old parameters, calling for further investigations. We discuss the analyses of the STEREO pickup ion (PUI) data and argue that the statistical method that has been preferred to infer the neutral flow longitude (instead of the more direct method based on the PUI maximum flux directions), is not appropriate. Moreover, transport effects may have been significant at the very weak solar activity level of 2007-2009, in which case the longitudes of the PUI maxima are only upper limits on the flow longitude. Finally, we found that the use of some flow longitude determinations based on UV glow data are not adequate. At variance with recent conclusions we find no evidence for a temporal variability of the interstellar helium flow.

### On the Use of Cherenkov Telescopes for Outer Solar System Body Occultations

Imaging Atmosphere Cherenkov Telescopes (IACT) are arrays of very large optical telescopes that are well-suited for rapid photometry of bright sources. I investigate their potential in observing stellar occultations by small objects in the outer Solar System, Transjovian Objects (TJOs). These occultations cast diffraction patterns on the Earth. Current IACT arrays are capable of detecting objects smaller than 100 meters in radius in the Kuiper Belt and 1 km radius out to 5000 AU. The future Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) will have even greater capabilities. Because the arrays include several telescopes, they can potentially measure the speeds of TJOs without degeneracies, and the sizes of the TJOs and background stars. I estimate the achievable precision using a Fisher matrix analysis. With CTA, the precisions of these parameter estimations will be as good as a few percent. I consider how often IACTs can observe occultations by members of different TJO populations, including Centaurs, Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs), Oort cloud objects, and satellites and Trojans of Uranus and Neptune. The great sensitivity of IACT arrays means that they likely detect KBO occultations once every O(10) hours when looking near the ecliptic. IACTs can also set useful limits on many other TJO populations.

### Galactic planetary science

Planetary science beyond the boundaries of our Solar System is today in its infancy. Until a couple of decades ago, the detailed investigation of the planetary properties was restricted to objects orbiting inside the Kuiper Belt. Today, we cannot ignore that the number of known planets has increased by two orders of magnitude nor that these planets resemble anything but the objects present in our own Solar System. Whether this fact is the result of a selection bias induced by the kind of techniques used to discover new planets -mainly radial velocity and transit – or simply the proof that the Solar System is a rarity in the Milky Way, we do not know yet. What is clear, though, is that the Solar System has failed to be the paradigm not only in our Galaxy but even ‘just’ in the solar neighbourhood. This finding, although unsettling, forces us to reconsider our knowledge of planets under a different light and perhaps question a few of the theoretical pillars on which we base our current ‘understanding’. The next decade will be critical to advance in what we should perhaps call Galactic planetary science. In this paper, we review highlights and pitfalls of our current knowledge of this topic and elaborate on how this knowledge might arguably evolve in the next decade.More critically, we identify what should be the mandatory scientific and technical steps to be taken in this fascinating journey of remote exploration of planets in our Galaxy.

### Formation of the Moon: a new mechanism

Understanding the Moon’s formation mechanism is necessary for studying not only the Moon itself, but also the evolution, formation, habitability, and structure of other planets and the moons in the Solar system and in extrasolar planetary systems. In this paper, I suggest a mechanism of the Moon formation. I posit that the Moon came into existence from the same gaseous cloud that the Earth originated from. The paper concludes that the moons can only form at the time of planet formation in a parallel and simultaneous process, and the new moons cannot form in a grown up Solar system. The Earth-Moon system is not a special exception in nature; rather it evolved following the same laws that other planets or moons have evolved from. This perspective successfully elucidates what happened between the disk formation and the accumulation of the Moon from the disk.

### Relativistic formulation of coordinate light time, Doppler and astrometric observables up to the second post-Minkowskian order [Cross-Listing]

Given the extreme accuracy of modern space science, a precise relativistic modeling of observations is required. In particular, it is important to describe properly light propagation through the Solar System. For two decades, several modeling efforts based on the solution of the null geodesic equations have been proposed but they are mainly valid only for the first order Post-Newtonian approximation. However, with the increasing precision of ongoing space missions as Gaia, GAME, BepiColombo, JUNO or JUICE, we know that some corrections up to the second order have to be taken into account for future experiments. We present a procedure to compute the relativistic coordinate time delay, Doppler and astrometric observables avoiding the integration of the null geodesic equation. This is possible using the Time Transfer Function formalism, a powerful tool providing key quantities such as the time of flight of a light signal between two point-events and the tangent vector to its null-geodesic. Indeed we show how to compute the Time Transfer Functions and their derivatives (and thus range, Doppler and astrometric observables) up to the second post-Minkowskian order. We express these quantities as quadratures of some functions that depend only on the metric and its derivatives evaluated along a Minkowskian straight line. This method is particularly well adapted for numerical estimations. As an illustration, we provide explicit expressions in static and spherically symmetric space-time up to second post-Minkowskian order. Then we give the order of magnitude of these corrections for the range/Doppler on the BepiColombo mission and for astrometry in a GAME-like observation.

### Relativistic formulation of coordinate light time, Doppler and astrometric observables up to the second post-Minkowskian order

Given the extreme accuracy of modern space science, a precise relativistic modeling of observations is required. In particular, it is important to describe properly light propagation through the Solar System. For two decades, several modeling efforts based on the solution of the null geodesic equations have been proposed but they are mainly valid only for the first order Post-Newtonian approximation. However, with the increasing precision of ongoing space missions as Gaia, GAME, BepiColombo, JUNO or JUICE, we know that some corrections up to the second order have to be taken into account for future experiments. We present a procedure to compute the relativistic coordinate time delay, Doppler and astrometric observables avoiding the integration of the null geodesic equation. This is possible using the Time Transfer Function formalism, a powerful tool providing key quantities such as the time of flight of a light signal between two point-events and the tangent vector to its null-geodesic. Indeed we show how to compute the Time Transfer Functions and their derivatives (and thus range, Doppler and astrometric observables) up to the second post-Minkowskian order. We express these quantities as quadratures of some functions that depend only on the metric and its derivatives evaluated along a Minkowskian straight line. This method is particularly well adapted for numerical estimations. As an illustration, we provide explicit expressions in static and spherically symmetric space-time up to second post-Minkowskian order. Then we give the order of magnitude of these corrections for the range/Doppler on the BepiColombo mission and for astrometry in a GAME-like observation.

### The Formation of Jupiter, the Jovian Early Bombardment and the Delivery of Water to the Asteroid Belt: The Case of (4) Vesta

The asteroid (4) Vesta, parent body of the Howardite-Eucrite-Diogenite meteorites, is one of the first bodies that formed, mostly from volatile-depleted material, in the Solar System. The Dawn mission recently provided evidence that hydrated material was delivered to Vesta, possibly in a continuous way, over the last 4 Ga, while the study of the eucritic meteorites revealed a few samples that crystallized in presence of water and volatile elements. The formation of Jupiter and probably its migration occurred in the period when eucrites crystallized, and triggered a phase of bombardment that caused icy planetesimals to cross the asteroid belt. In this work, we study the flux of icy planetesimals on Vesta during the Jovian Early Bombardment and, using hydrodynamic simulations, the outcome of their collisions with the asteroid. We explore how the migration of the giant planet would affect the delivery of water and volatile materials to the asteroid and we discuss our results in the context of the geophysical and collisional evolution of Vesta. In particular, we argue that the observational data are best reproduced if the bulk of the impactors was represented by 1-2 km wide planetesimals and if Jupiter underwent a limited (a fraction of au) displacement.

### On the (im)possibility of testing new physics in exoplanets using transit timing variations: deviation from inverse-square law of gravity [Cross-Listing]

Ground-based and space-borne observatories studying exoplanetary transits now and in the future will considerably increase the number of known exoplanets and the precision of the measured times of transit minima. Variations in the transit times can not only be used to infer the presence of additional planets, but might also provide opportunities for testing new physics in the places beyond the Solar system. In this work, we take deviation from the inverse-square law of gravity as an example, focus on the fifth-force-like Yukawa-type correction to the Newtonian gravitational force which parameterizes this deviation, investigate its effects on the secular transit timing variations and analyze their observability in exoplanetary systems. It is found that the most optimistic values of Yukawa-type secular transit timing variations are at the level of $\sim 0.1$ seconds per year. Those values unfortunately appear only in rarely unique cases and, most importantly, they are still at least two orders of magnitude below the current capabilities of observations. Such a deviation from the inverse-square law of gravity is likely too small to detect for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, systematic uncertainties, such as the presence of additional and unknown planets, will likely be exceptionally difficult to remove from a signal that should be seen.

### On the (im)possibility of testing new physics in exoplanets using transit timing variations: deviation from inverse-square law of gravity

Ground-based and space-borne observatories studying exoplanetary transits now and in the future will considerably increase the number of known exoplanets and the precision of the measured times of transit minima. Variations in the transit times can not only be used to infer the presence of additional planets, but might also provide opportunities for testing new physics in the places beyond the Solar system. In this work, we take deviation from the inverse-square law of gravity as an example, focus on the fifth-force-like Yukawa-type correction to the Newtonian gravitational force which parameterizes this deviation, investigate its effects on the secular transit timing variations and analyze their observability in exoplanetary systems. It is found that the most optimistic values of Yukawa-type secular transit timing variations are at the level of $\sim 0.1$ seconds per year. Those values unfortunately appear only in rarely unique cases and, most importantly, they are still at least two orders of magnitude below the current capabilities of observations. Such a deviation from the inverse-square law of gravity is likely too small to detect for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, systematic uncertainties, such as the presence of additional and unknown planets, will likely be exceptionally difficult to remove from a signal that should be seen.

### The role of Jupiter in driving Earth's orbital evolution

In coming years, the first truly Earth-like planets will be discovered orbiting other stars, and the search for signs of life on these worlds will begin. However, such observations will be hugely time-consuming and costly, and so it will be important to determine which of those planets represent the best prospects for life elsewhere. One of the key factors in such a decision will be the climate variability of the planet in question – too chaotic a climate might render a planet less promising as a target for our initial search for life elsewhere. On the Earth, the climate of the last few million years has been dominated by a series of glacial and interglacial periods, driven by periodic variations in the Earth’s orbital elements and axial tilt. These Milankovitch cycles are driven by the gravitational influence of the other planets, and as such are strongly dependent on the architecture of the Solar system. Here, we present the first results of a study investigating the influence of the orbit of Jupiter on the Milankovitch cycles at Earth – a first step in developing a means to characterise the nature of periodic climate change on planets beyond our Solar system.

### The role of Jupiter in driving Earth's orbital evolution [Replacement]

In coming years, the first truly Earth-like planets will be discovered orbiting other stars, and the search for signs of life on these worlds will begin. However, such observations will be hugely time-consuming and costly, and so it will be important to determine which of those planets represent the best prospects for life elsewhere. One of the key factors in such a decision will be the climate variability of the planet in question – too chaotic a climate might render a planet less promising as a target for our initial search for life elsewhere. On the Earth, the climate of the last few million years has been dominated by a series of glacial and interglacial periods, driven by periodic variations in the Earth’s orbital elements and axial tilt. These Milankovitch cycles are driven by the gravitational influence of the other planets, and as such are strongly dependent on the architecture of the Solar system. Here, we present the first results of a study investigating the influence of the orbit of Jupiter on the Milankovitch cycles at Earth – a first step in developing a means to characterise the nature of periodic climate change on planets beyond our Solar system.

### Chemo-dynamical deuterium fractionation in the early solar nebula: The origin of water on Earth and in asteroids and comets

Formation and evolution of water in the Solar System and the origin of water on Earth constitute one of the most interesting questions in astronomy. The prevailing hypothesis for the origin of water on Earth is by delivery through water-rich small Solar system bodies. In this paper, the isotopic and chemical evolution of water during the early history of the solar nebula, before the onset of planetesimal formation, is studied. A gas-grain chemical model that includes multiply-deuterated species and nuclear spin-states is combined with a steady-state solar nebula model. To calculate initial abundances, we simulated 1 Myr of evolution of a cold and dark TMC1-like prestellar core. Two time-dependent chemical models of the solar nebula are calculated over 1 Myr: (1) a laminar model and (2) a model with 2D turbulent mixing. We find that the radial outward increase of the H2O D/H ratio is shallower in the chemo-dynamical nebular model compared to the laminar model. This is related to more efficient de-fractionation of HDO via rapid gas-phase processes, as the 2D mixing model allows the water ice to be transported either inward and thermally evaporated or upward and photodesorbed. The laminar model shows the Earth water D/H ratio at r ~<2.5 AU, while for the 2D chemo-dynamical model this zone is larger, r ~<9 AU. Similarly, the water D/H ratios representative of the Oort-family comets, ~2.5-10 x 10-4, are achieved within ~2-6 AU and ~2-20 AU in the laminar and the 2D model, respectively. We find that with regards to the water isotopic composition and the origin of the comets, the mixing model seems to be favored over the laminar model.

### The role of planetary formation and evolution in shaping the composition of exoplanetary atmospheres

Over the last twenty years, the search for extrasolar planets revealed us the rich diversity of the outcomes of the formation and evolution of planetary systems. In order to fully understand how these extrasolar planets came to be, however, the orbital and physical data we possess are not enough, and they need to be complemented with information on the composition of the exoplanets. Ground-based and space-based observations provided the first data on the atmospheric composition of a few extrasolar planets, but a larger and more detailed sample is required before we can fully take advantage of it. The primary goal of the Exoplanet Characterization Observatory (EChO) is to fill this gap, expanding the limited data we possess by performing a systematic survey of hundreds of extrasolar planets. The full exploitation of the data that EChO and other space-based and ground-based facilities will provide in the near future, however, requires the knowledge of what are the sources and sinks of the chemical species and molecules that will be observed. Luckily, the study of the past history of the Solar System provides several indications on the effects of processes like migration, late accretion and secular impacts, and on the time they occur in the life of planetary systems. In this work we will review what is already known about the factors influencing the composition of planetary atmospheres, focusing on the case of gaseous giant planets, and what instead still need to be investigated.

### SWIR Investigation of sites of astrobiological interest

Rover missions to the rocky bodies of the Solar System and especially to Mars require light- weight, portable instruments that use minimal power, require no sample preparation, and provide suitably diagnostic mineralogical information to an Earth-based exploration team. Short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopic instruments such as the Portable Infrared Mineral Analyser (PIMA, Integrated Spectronics Pty Ltd., Baulkham Hills, NSW, Australia) fulfill all these requirements. We describe an investigation of a possible Mars analogue site using a PIMA instrument. A survey was carried out on the Strelley Pool Chert, an outcrop of stro- matolitic, silicified Archean carbonate and clastic succession in the Pilbara Craton, interpreted as being modified by hydrothermal processes. The results of this study demonstrate the ca- pability of SWIR techniques to add significantly to the geological interpretation of such hy- drothermally altered outcrops. Minerals identified include dolomite, white micas such as il- lite-muscovite, and chlorite. In addition, the detection of pyrophyllite in a bleached and altered unit directly beneath the succession suggests acidic, sulfur-rich hydrothermal activity may have interacted with the silicified sediments of the Strelley Pool Chert.

### Planetary internal structures

This chapter reviews the most recent advancements on the topic of terrestrial and giant planet interiors, including Solar System and extrasolar objects. Starting from an observed mass-radius diagram for known planets in the Universe, we will discuss the various types of planets appearing in this diagram and describe internal structures for each type. The review will summarize the status of theoretical and experimental works performed in the field of equation of states (EOS) for materials relevant to planetary interiors and will address the main theoretical and experimental uncertainties and challenges. It will discuss the impact of new EOS on interior structures and bulk composition determination. We will discuss important dynamical processes which strongly impact the interior and evolutionary properties of planets (e.g plate tectonics, semiconvection) and describe non standard models recently suggested for our giant planets. We will address the case of short-period, strongly irradiated exoplanets and critically analyse some of the physical mechanisms which have been suggested to explain their anomalously large radius.

### Anomalous Post-Newtonian terms and the secular increase of the Astronomical Unit

In the last decade a major debate has emerged on the astrophysics community concerning the anomalous behaviour of the astronomical unit, the fundamental scale of distances in the Solar system. Several independent studies have combined radar ranging and optical data from the last four decades to come to the conclusion that the astronomical unit is increasing by several meters per century. It is abundantly clear that General Relativity cannot account for this new effect, although an still undefined angular momentum transfer mechanism could provide the simpler and more conventional explanation. Here we investigate several anomalous post-newtonian terms containing only the product of the mass and angular momentum of the Sun as well as its Schwarzschild radius in order to determine if they could explain the secular increase of the astronomical unit and the recently reported increase of Lunar eccentricity. If these anomalies are confirmed, searching for a modification of General Relativity predicting these terms could have far-reaching consequences.

### Volatiles in protoplanetary disks

Volatiles are compounds with low sublimation temperatures, and they make up most of the condensible mass in typical planet-forming environments. They consist of relatively small, often hydrogenated, molecules based on the abundant elements carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Volatiles are central to the process of planet formation, forming the backbone of a rich chemistry that sets the initial conditions for the formation of planetary atmospheres, and act as a solid mass reservoir catalyzing the formation of planets and planetesimals. This growth has been driven by rapid advances in observations and models of protoplanetary disks, and by a deepening understanding of the cosmochemistry of the solar system. Indeed, it is only in the past few years that representative samples of molecules have been discovered in great abundance throughout protoplanetary disks – enough to begin building a complete budget for the most abundant elements after hydrogen and helium. The spatial distributions of key volatiles are being mapped, snow lines are directly seen and quantified, and distinct chemical regions within protoplanetary disks are being identified, characterized and modeled. Theoretical processes invoked to explain the solar system record are now being observationally constrained in protoplanetary disks, including transport of icy bodies and concentration of bulk condensibles. The balance between chemical reset – processing of inner disk material strong enough to destroy its memory of past chemistry, and inheritance – the chemically gentle accretion of pristine material from the interstellar medium in the outer disk, ultimately determines the final composition of pre-planetary matter. This chapter focuses on making the first steps toward understanding whether the planet formation processes that led to our solar system are universal.

### Solar wind dominance over the Poynting-Robertson effect in secular orbital evolution of dust particles

Properties of the solar wind are discussed and applied to the effect of the wind on motion of bodies in the Solar System. The velocity density function for the solar wind constituents is given by the $\kappa-$distribution. The relevant contributions to the solar wind action contain also the sputtering and reflection components in addition to direct impact. The solar wind effect is more important than the action of the solar electromagnetic radiation, as for the secular orbital evolution. The effect of the solar corpuscular radiation is more important than the Poynting-Robertson effect even when mass of the dust particle is considered to be constant, non-radial component of the solar wind velocity is neglected and the time dependence of the solar wind properties is ignored. The presented equation of motion of a body under the action of the solar radiation, electromagnetic and corpuscular, respects reality in a much better way than the conventionally used equation. The acceleration of the body is proportional to the superposition of the radial velocity component multiplied by the numerical coefficient $[2 + (\eta_{1} + \eta_{2})/ \overline{Q} ~'_{pr}]$ and the transversal velocity component multiplied by the numerical coefficient $(1 + \eta_{2}/ \overline{Q} ~’_{pr})$, where $\overline{Q} ~’_{pr}$ is the dimensionless efficiency factor of the radiation pressure. Here $\eta_{1}$ $\doteq$ 1.1, $\eta_{2}$ $\doteq$ 1.4 and the velocity is the body’s velocity with respect to the Sun. Also time variability of $\eta_{1}$ and $\eta_{2}$ due to the solar cycle is given. The dimensionless cross section the dust grain presents to wind pressure is about 4.7. This value differs from the conventionally used value 1.0. The mass-loss rate of the zodiacal cloud is 4-times higher than the currently accepted value, as for the micron-sized dust particles.

### Fast E-sail Uranus entry probe mission

The solar wind electric sail is a novel propellantless space propulsion concept. According to numerical estimates, the electric sail can produce a large total impulse per propulsion system mass. Here we consider using a 0.5 N electric sail for boosting a 550 kg spacecraft to Uranus in less than 6 years. The spacecraft is a stack consisting of the electric sail module which is jettisoned at Saturn distance, a carrier module and a probe for Uranus atmospheric entry. The carrier module has a chemical propulsion ability for orbital corrections and it uses its antenna for picking up the probe’s data transmission and later relaying it to Earth. The scientific output of the mission is similar to what the Galileo Probe did at Jupiter. Measurement of the chemical and isotope composition of the Uranian atmosphere can give key constraints for different formation theories of the solar system. A similar method could also be applied to other giant planets and Titan by using a fleet of more or less identical electric sail equipped probes.

### Atlas of three body mean motion resonances in the Solar System

We present a numerical method to estimate the strengths of arbitrary three body mean motion resonances between two planets in circular coplanar orbits and a massless particle in an arbitrary orbit. This method allows us to obtain an atlas of the three body resonances in the Solar System showing where are located and how strong are thousands of resonances involving all the planets from 0 to 1000 au. This atlas confirms the dynamical relevance of the three body resonances involving Jupiter and Saturn in the asteroid belt but also shows the existence of a family of relatively strong three body resonances involving Uranus and Neptune in the far Trans-Neptunian region and relatively strong resonances involving terrestrial and jovian planets in the inner planetary system. We calculate the density of relevant resonances along the Solar System resulting that the main asteroid belt is located in a region of the planetary system with the lowest density of three body resonances. The method also allows the location of the equilibrium points showing the existence of asymmetric librations (sigma different from 0 or 180 degrees). We obtain the functional dependence of the resonance’s strength with the order of the resonance and the eccentricity and inclination of the particle’s orbit. We identify some objects evolving in or very close to three body resonances with Earth-Jupiter, Saturn-Neptune and Uranus-Neptune apart from Jupiter-Saturn, in particular the NEA 2009 SJ18 is evolving in the resonance 1-1E-1J and the centaur 10199 Chariklo is evolving under the influence of the resonance 5-2S-2N.

### A Detailed Numerical Analysis of Asymmetrical Density Distribution in Saturn's F ring During an Encounter with Prometheus

Saturn’s rings, reminiscent of an early Solar System present a unique opportunity to investigate experimentally some mechanisms thought to be responsible for planet and planetesimal formation in protoplanetary discs. Here we extended the comparison of our numerical models of Prometheus encountering the F ring employing non-interacting and interacting particles. Higher resolution analysis revealed that the density increases known to exist at channel edges is more complex and localised than previously thought. Asymmetry between density increases on channel edges revealed that the channel edge facing way from Prometheus to be the most stable but with lowest maximum increases. However, on the channel edge facing Prometheus the interacting model showed large chaotic fluctuations in the maximum density of some clumps, much larger than those of the other channel. The likely cause of this asymmetry is a variance in localised turbulence introduced into the F ring by Prometheus. High resolution velocity dispersion maps showed that there was a spatial link between the highest densities and the highest velocity dispersions in the interacting model. Thus suggesting that the high velocity dispersion we see is the reason for the observed inhomogeneous distribution of fans (evidence of embedded moonlets) on some of the channel edges facing Prometheus.

### $f(T)$ gravity: effects on astronomical observation and Solar System experiments and upper-bounds

As an extension of a previous work in which perihelion advances are considered only and as an attempt to find more stringent constraints on its parameters, we investigate effects on astronomical observation and experiments conducted in the Solar System due to the $f(T)$ gravity which contains a quadratic correction of $\alpha T^2$ ($\alpha$ is a model parameter) and the cosmological constant $\Lambda$. Using a spherical solution describing the Sun’s gravitational field, the resulting secular evolution of planetary orbital motions, light deflection, gravitational time delay and frequency shift are calculated up to the leading contribution. Among them, we find qualitatively that the light deflection holds a unique bound on $\alpha$, without dependence on $\Lambda$, and the time delay experiments during inferior conjunction impose a clean constraint on $\Lambda$, regardless of $\alpha$. Based on observation and experiments, especially the supplementary advances in the perihelia provided by the INPOP10a ephemeris, we obtain the upper-bounds quantitatively: $|\alpha| \le 1.2 \times 10^{2}$ m${}^2$ and $|\Lambda| \le 1.8 \times 10^{-43}$ m${}^{-2}$, at least 10 times tighter than the previous result.

### Terrestrial Planet Formation in a protoplanetary disk with a local mass depletion: A successful scenario for the formation of Mars

Models of terrestrial planet formation for our solar system have been successful in producing planets with masses and orbits similar to those of Venus and Earth. However, these models have generally failed to produce Mars-sized objects around 1.5 AU. The body that is usually formed around Mars’ semimajor axis is, in general, much more massive than Mars. Only when Jupiter and Saturn are assumed to have initially very eccentric orbits (e $\sim$ 0.1), which seems fairly unlikely for the solar system, or alternately, if the protoplanetary disk is truncated at 1.0 AU, simulations have been able to produce Mars-like bodies in the correct location. In this paper, we examine an alternative scenario for the formation of Mars in which a local depletion in the density of the protosolar nebula results in a non-uniform formation of planetary embryos and ultimately the formation of Mars-sized planets around 1.5 AU. We have carried out extensive numerical simulations of the formation of terrestrial planets in such a disk for different scales of the local density depletion, and for different orbital configurations of the giant planets. Our simulations point to the possibility of the formation of Mars-sized bodies around 1.5 AU, specifically when the scale of the disk local mass-depletion is moderately high (50-75%) and Jupiter and Saturn are initially in their current orbits. In these systems, Mars-analogs are formed from the protoplanetary materials that originate in the regions of disk interior or exterior to the local mass-depletion. Results also indicate that Earth-sized planets can form around 1 AU with a substantial amount of water accreted via primitive water-rich planetesimals and planetary embryos. We present the results of our study and discuss their implications for the formation of terrestrial planets in our solar system.

### A Sub-Earth-Mass Moon Orbiting a Gas Giant Primary or a High Velocity Planetary System in the Galactic Bulge

We present the first microlensing candidate for a free-floating exoplanet-exomoon system, MOA-2011-BLG-262, with a primary lens mass of M_host ~ 4 Jupiter masses hosting a sub-Earth mass moon. The data are well fit by this exomoon model, but an alternate star+planet model fits the data almost as well. Nevertheless, these results indicate the potential of microlensing to detect exomoons, albeit ones that are different from the giant planet moons in our solar system. The argument for an exomoon hinges on the system being relatively close to the Sun. The data constrain the product M pi_rel, where M is the lens system mass and pi_rel is the lens-source relative parallax. If the lens system is nearby (large pi_rel), then M is small (a few Jupiter masses) and the companion is a sub-Earth-mass exomoon. The best-fit solution has a large lens-source relative proper motion, mu_rel = 19.6 +- 1.6 mas/yr, which would rule out a distant lens system unless the source star has an unusually high proper motion. However, data from the OGLE collaboration nearly rule out a high source proper motion, so the exoplanet+exomoon model is the favored interpretation for the best fit model. However, the alternate solution has a lower proper motion, which is compatible with a distant (so stellar) host. A Bayesian analysis does not favor the exoplanet+exomoon interpretation, so Occam’s razor favors a lens system in the bulge with host and companion masses of M_host = 0.12 (+0.19 -0.06) M_solar and m_comp = 18 (+28 -100 M_earth, at a projected separation of a_perp ~ 0.84 AU. The existence of this degeneracy is an unlucky accident, so current microlensing experiments are in principle sensitive to exomoons. In some circumstances, it will be possible to definitively establish the low mass of such lens systems through the microlensing parallax effect. Future experiments will be sensitive to less extreme exomoons.

### Enhanced term of order $G^3$ in the light travel time: discussion for some solar system experiments

It is generally believed that knowing the light travel time up to the post-post-Minkowskian level (terms in $G^2$) is sufficient for modelling the most accurate experiments designed to test general relativity in a foreseeable future. However, we have recently brought a rigorous justification of the existence of an enhanced term of order $G^3$ which becomes larger than some first-order contributions like the gravitomagnetic effect due to the rotation of the Sun or the solar quadrupole moment for light rays almost grazing the solar surface. We show that this enhanced term must be taken into account in solar system experiments aiming to reach an accuracy less than $10^{-7}$ in measuring the post-Newtonian parameter $\gamma$.