Dynamical Characteristics of the Hungaria asteroids

Abstract

Due to the favorable observing conditions, the Hungaria asteroids may soon become the best known asteroid subgroup of the asteroid population. We have built a large catalog of accurate synthetic proper elements in order to study the dynamical properties of the Hungaria region, both within a purely gravitational model and also accounting for the non-gravitational effects. In the present paper we extend our previous study to more closely investigate the occurrence of close approaches of Hungaria asteroids to Mars, and we present a refined analysis of the dynamics of close couples found in the region.