Modeling and Analysis of Gravity Field of 433Eros Using Polyhedron Model Method

In order to better understand the properties of gravity field of irregularly shaped asteroid, Polyhedron model is used to model the gravity field of 433Eros. And the properties of distribution of gravity field are analyzed based on the modeling. Firstly, this paper introduced the concept of Polyhedron model and the method which is applied to use polyhedron model to model the asteroid. Then the Polyhedron model of asteroid (433Eros) was given. Secondly, integral transformation was used twice to transform the triple integral of gravitational potential function into single integral which was used in Polyhedron modeling in order to deduce the computing formula of gravitational potential function, gravitational acceleration and Laplacian of Polyhedron model. Finally, we used the given formula to calculate and analyze the distribution characteristics of gravity field of 433 Eros. Taking the rotation of asteroid in to consideration, Pseudo-potential energy surface and zero velocity curve was used to analyze the environment of orbit dynamics around the asteroid and the conditions of the equilibrium points´ positions.