Kirkwood gap

The Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt correspond to orbits with orbital periods that are an integer multiple of the orbital period of Jupiter. Asteroids with these paths can not exist for a long time there, since resonances occur with Jupiter.

The integral ratio of the orbital periods entails that periodically on such asteroids, the large gravity of Jupiter act. As a result, the asteroid is deflected from this path inward or outward; A gap in the distribution of large semi-major axes and orbital periods arises.

A ratio of 5:2, for example, states that the period of five rounds of the asteroid is equal to the duration of two Jupiterumläufen. Since Jupiter takes 11.86 years for one orbit around the sun, repeat every 23.72 years, the conditions for an asteroid with orbital period of 4.74 years.

The gaps were named after Daniel Kirkwood, who had discovered them in 1866, according to statistical studies of the large semi-major axes.

Noticeable gaps

As conspicuous gaps are:

Stabilizing resonances

However, certain resonances also keep the asteroids firmly into its orbit. These are for example:

These stabilizing resonances lie outside the graph above.