IASFRome_StatusReport - INAF-IASF-Roma

IASF Roma - STATUS REPORTfor the Visiting CommitteeRef: IASF-RM-VC-001/07DATA: 19 November 2007Page: 14/1342 The research program of the Research Structure and of itsdepartments and areas of work (research areas, scientificgoals and results, cooperation within the Structure andwith other INAF Structures, planned development)2.1 Solar System ResearchThe study of the Solar System at the LAS-CNR (Laboratorio di Astrofisica Spaziale of theConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – the first incarnation of IASF-Roma) started at the time ofthe lunar exploration. For nearly two decades, our group concentrated on theoretical issues,including the first phases of the formation of the planetary system, the dynamical evolution ofplanet-encountering bodies, the thermal evolution of planetary interiors and the craterization ofplanetary surfaces.Around the end of the eighties, we started to be involved in space missions, with the successfuldevelopment of instrumentation. The current composition and activity of our group reflects bothof these aspects, the theoretical roots and the instrumental developments.Hereafter follows a quick synthesis of our main current activities.Origin of the Solar System, G. MagniThe OSS Group main work lines include the study of the formation processes of Giant Planets(GP) in our Solar System; of how the physical conditions of the primordial Solar Nebula (SN)influenced the GP formation and how the current structure of the GP constrains the physicalconditions of the Solar System; of when and where did the GP form; of the effect of the alreadyformed planets on the still accreting other ones; of how the specific scenario of formation andevolution of GP in our Solar System can be extended to other planetary systems; of why thesatellite and ring systems of the planets are so different.In order to study the GP formation a 3D Eulerian code has been developed that follows the timeevolution of gas in the Solar Nebula, an in particular the gas capture process onto the accretingnucleus of a GP when its atmospheric envelope becomes unstable (core instability mechanism).Its main features are:− rotating grid with enhanced density of the mesh around the protoplanet;− 1-D structure of the growing planet in quasi-hydrostatic equilibrium, with convectiveand radiative energy transport;− detailed treatment of mass, energy and angular momentum of the SN and of thegrowing planet, and triggering of the feedback mechanisms between them;− radiative transfer processes inside the SN.The group has developed several n-body codes that follow the dynamical evolution of a swarmof small, non mutually interacting solid bodies, under the action of the Sun, the viscous drag ofthe gas of the SN, and of a number (one to four) of GPs.Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), A. Carusi, A. Boattini, G. D'abramo, G.B. ValsecchiWe study various aspects of NEOs, theoretically and observationally. In particular, we deal with:• detection and cataloging, having run for many years the Campo Imperatore NEO Survey(CINEOS);• population modeling, with estimates based on the detection and re-detection rates;• impact probability computations, participating to the establishment and running of the firstimpact monitoring program;14