# Spin-orbit coupling and chaotic rotation for circumbinary bodies. Application to the small satellites of the Pluto-Charon system

@article{Correia2015SpinorbitCA,
title={Spin-orbit coupling and chaotic rotation for circumbinary bodies. Application to the small satellites of the Pluto-Charon system},
author={Alexandre C. M. Correia and Adrien Leleu and N. Rambaux and Philippe Robutel},
journal={arXiv: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics},
year={2015}
}
• A. Correia, +1 author P. Robutel
• Published 22 June 2015
• Physics
• arXiv: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
We investigate the resonant rotation of circumbinary bodies in planar quasi-circular orbits. Denoting $n_b$ and $n$ the orbital mean motion of the inner binary and of the circumbinary body, respectively, we show that spin-orbit resonances exist at the frequencies $n\pm k\nu/2$, where $\nu = n_b - n$, and $k$ is an integer. Moreover, when the libration at natural frequency has the same magnitude as $\nu$, the resonances overlap and the rotation becomes chaotic. We apply these results to the…

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