TETHYS' ECCENTRICITY FROM THE OBSERVATIONS OF MIMAS: A WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE EVOLUTION OF THE MIMAS-TETHYS SYSTEM

摘要

Some recent studies have shown that the eccentricity of Tethys has a deciding influence on the evolution, under tidal effects, of the resonance of the Mimas-Tethys system. Tethys' eccentricity induces secondary resonances in which the system can be temporarily captured. Unfortunately, the value of this eccentricity is badly known. In the present work, we present a new preliminary determination of it, using an analysis of the mean longitude of Mimas in which the eccentricity of Tethys has a notable influence. The recent reduction of the CCD observations of Mimas allows to make such analysis.