Impact of the frequency dependence of tidal Q on the evolution of planetary systems

Context. Tidal dissipation in planets and in stars is one of the key physical mechanisms that drive the evolution of planetary systems. Aims. Tidal dissipation properties are intrisically linked to the internal structure and the rheology of studied celestial bodies. The resulting dependence of the dissipation upon the tidal frequency is strongly different in the cases of solids and fluids. Methods. We compute the tidal evolution of a two-body coplanar system, using the tidal quality factor's frequency-dependencies appropriate to rocks and to convective fluids. Results. The ensuing orbital dynamics comes out smooth or strongly erratic, dependent on how the tidal dissipation depends upon frequency. Conclusions. We demonstrate the strong impact of the internal structure and of the rheology of the central body on the orbital evolution of the tidal perturber. A smooth frequency-dependence of the tidal dissipation renders a smooth orbital evolution while a peaked dissipation can furnish erratic orbital behaviour.Comment: Accepted for publication as a letter in Astronomy And Astrophysic

Time and frequency transfer with a microwave link in the ACES/PHARAO mission

The Atomic Clocks Ensemble in Space (ACES/PHARAO mission), which will be installed on board the International Space Station (ISS), uses a dedicated two-way Micro-Wave Link (MWL) in order to compare the timescale generated on board with those provided by many ground stations disseminated on the Earth. Phase accuracy and stability of this long range link will have a key role in the success of the ACES/PHARAO experiment. SYRTE laboratory is heavily involved in the design and development of the data processing software : from theoretical modelling and numerical simulations to the development of a software prototype. Our team is working on a wide range of problems that need to be solved in order to achieve high accuracy in (almost) real time. In this article we present some key aspects of the measurement, as well as current status of the software's development.Comment: Proceedings of the European Frequency and Time Forum (EFTF) 2012 held in Gothenburg, Sweden, April 201

Scaling laws to understand tidal dissipation in fluid planetary regions and stars I - Rotation, stratification and thermal diffusivity

Tidal dissipation in planets and stars is one of the key physical mechanisms driving the evolution of star-planet and planet-moon systems. Several signatures of its action are observed in planetary systems thanks to their orbital architecture and the rotational state of their components. Tidal dissipation inside the fluid layers of celestial bodies are intrinsically linked to the dynamics and the physical properties of the latter. This complex dependence must be characterized. We compute the tidal kinetic energy dissipated by viscous friction and thermal diffusion in a rotating local fluid Cartesian section of a star/planet/moon submitted to a periodic tidal forcing. The properties of tidal gravito-inertial waves excited by the perturbation are derived analytically as explicit functions of the tidal frequency and local fluid parameters (i.e. the rotation, the buoyancy frequency characterizing the entropy stratification, viscous and thermal diffusivities) for periodic normal modes. The sensitivity of the resulting possibly highly resonant dissipation frequency-spectra to a control parameter of the system is either important or negligible depending on the position in the regime diagram relevant for planetary and stellar interiors. For corresponding asymptotic behaviors of tidal gravito-inertial waves dissipated by viscous friction and thermal diffusion, scaling laws for the frequencies, number, width, height and contrast with the non-resonant background of resonances are derived to quantify these variations. We characterize the strong impact of the internal physics and dynamics of fluid planetary layers and stars on the dissipation of tidal kinetic energy in their bulk. We point out the key control parameters that really play a role and demonstrate how it is now necessary to develop ab-initio modeling for tidal dissipation in celestial bodies.Comment: 24 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

How to test SME with space missions ?

In this communication, we focus on possibilities to constrain SME coefficients using Cassini and Messenger data. We present simulations of radioscience observables within the framework of the SME, identify the linear combinations of SME coefficients the observations depend on and determine the sensitivity of these measurements to the SME coefficients. We show that these datasets are very powerful for constraining SME coefficients.Comment: Presented at the Sixth Meeting on CPT and Lorentz Symmetry, Bloomington, Indiana, June 17-21, 2013. 4 pages, 1 figur

Gravity tests with INPOP planetary ephemerides

In this paper, we present several gravity tests made in using the last INPOP08 planetary ephemerides. We first propose two methods to estimate the PPN parameter $\beta$ and its correlated value, the Sun J2 and we discuss the correlation between the Sun J2 and the mass of the asteroid ring. We estimate possible advance in the planet perihelia. In the end we show that no constant acceleration larger than 1/4 the Pioneer anomaly can affect the planets of our solar system.Comment: 11 pages. submitted to proceedings of IAU symposium 264 "Relativity in Fundamental Astronomy: Dynamics, Reference Frames and Data analysis

Classical motion in force fields with short range correlations

We study the long time motion of fast particles moving through time-dependent random force fields with correlations that decay rapidly in space, but not necessarily in time. The time dependence of the averaged kinetic energy and mean-squared displacement is shown to exhibit a large degree of universality; it depends only on whether the force is, or is not, a gradient vector field. When it is, p^{2}(t) ~ t^{2/5} independently of the details of the potential and of the space dimension. Motion is then superballistic in one dimension, with q^{2}(t) ~ t^{12/5}, and ballistic in higher dimensions, with q^{2}(t) ~ t^{2}. These predictions are supported by numerical results in one and two dimensions. For force fields not obtained from a potential field, the power laws are different: p^{2}(t) ~ t^{2/3} and q^{2}(t) ~ t^{8/3} in all dimensions d\geq 1

Scaling laws to understand tidal dissipation in fluid planetary layers and stars

Tidal dissipation is known as one of the main drivers of the secular evolution of planetary systems. It directly results from dissipative mechanisms that occur in planets and stars' interiors and strongly depends on the structure and dynamics of the bodies. This work focuses on the mechanism of viscous friction in stars and planetary layers. A local model is used to study tidal dissipation. It provides general scaling laws that give a qualitative overview of the different possible behaviors of fluid tidal waves. Furthermore, it highlights the sensitivity of dissipation to the tidal frequency and the roles played by the internal parameters of the fluid such as rotation, stratification, viscosity and thermal diffusivity that will impact the spins/orbital architecture in planetary systems.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, IAU 310 symposium proceedings, Complex planetary system

Testing Gravitation in the Solar System with Radio Science experiments

The laws of gravitation have been tested for a long time with steadily improving precision, leading at some moment of time to paradigmatic evolutions. Pursuing this continual effort is of great importance for science. In this communication, we focus on Solar System tests of gravity and more precisely on possible tests that can be performed with radio science observations (Range and Doppler). After briefly reviewing the current tests of gravitation at Solar System scales, we give motivations to continue such experiments. In order to obtain signature and estimate the amplitude of anomalous signals that could show up in radio science observables because of modified gravitational laws, we developed a new software that simulates Range/Doppler signals. We present this new tool that simulates radio science observables directly from the space-time metric. We apply this tool to the Cassini mission during its cruise from Jupiter to Saturn and derive constraints on the parameters entering alternative theories of gravity beyond the standard Parametrized Post Newtonian theory.Comment: proceedings of SF2A 2011 - minor changes (typos corrected - references updated