Paper detail

Theory of the Mercury's spin-orbit motion and analysis of its main librations

The upcoming space missions, MESSENGER and BepiColombo with onboard instrumentation capable of measuring the rotational parameters stimulate the objective to reach an accurate theory of the rotational motion of Mercury. For obtaining the real motion of Mercury, we have used our relativistic BJV model of solar system integration including the coupled spin-orbit motion of the Moon. We have extended this model by generalizing the spin-orbit couplings to the terrestrial planets, notably Mercury. The updated model is called SONYR (acronym of Spin-Orbit N-BodY Relativistic model). The SONYR model giving an accurate solution of the spin-orbit motion of Mercury permits to analyze the different families of the Hermean rotational librations. The spin-orbit motion of Mercury is characterized by two proper frequencies (namely 15.847 and 1066 years) and its 3:2 resonance presents a second synchronism which can be understood as a spin-orbit secular resonance (278 898 years). By using the SONYR model, we find a new determination of the mean obliquity, namely 1.6 arcminutes. Besides, we identify in the Hermean librations the impact of the uncertainty of the greatest principal moment of inertia (\cmr2) on the obliquity and on the libration in longitude (2.3 mas and 0.45 as respectively for an increase of 1% on the \cmr2 value). These determinations prove to be suitable for providing constraints on the internal structure of Mercury.