ПИСЬМА В АСТРОНОМИЧЕСКИЙ ЖУРНАЛ, 2019, том 45, № 11, с. 830

MULTISCALE ANALYSIS OF THE INSTANTANEOUS ECCENTRICITY

OSCILLATIONS OF THE PLANETS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

FROM 13.000 BC TO 17.000 AD¹

¹Department of Earth Sciences, Environment and Georesources, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso

Universitario di Monte S. Angelo, via Cinthia, 21, 80126 Naples, Italy

²Astronomical Association Euganea, via N. Tommaseo, 70, 35137 Padova, Italy

³INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 3, I, 35122 Padova, Italy

⁴Department of Physics and Astronomy, Universit `a degli Studi di Padova, via Marzolo 8, 35131, Padova, Italy

Received 18.05.2019 г.; in final form, 02.10.2019 г.; accepted 23.10.2019 г.

The high-resolution Jet Propulsion Laboratory DE431 and DE432 planetary ephemeris are used to

evaluate the instantaneous eccentricity functions of the orbits of the planets of the solar system from

13.000 BC to 17.000 AD at different time scales. Spectral analyses are performed to determine the

frequencies and the amplitudes of the detected perturbations from 0.1-year to 10.000-year periods. Taken

as contiguous pairs (Mercury-Venus, Earth-Mars, Jupiter-Saturn, and Uranus-Neptune), we found anti-

phase patterns between contiguous planets at specific time scales (30.000 years): namely, the eccentricity

of one planet increases while the other decreases. Venus and Earth instead appear in phase. However, on

shorter time scales the phase coupling becomes more complex and irregular. Yet, Jupiter and Saturn present

a π/2 phase coupling at the 1000-year scale. Periodogram analysis of the planetary eccentricity functions

shows several fast fluctuations whose magnitudes indicate the strength of their mutual interactions

where the Jovian planets significantly perturb the orbits of the inner planets. Besides, the wavelet power

spectrum and wavelet squared coherence spectrum analyses are adopted to examine the relationships in

time-frequency space between the eccentricity functions of each couple of terrestrial and Jovian planets.

The analysis reveals the complexity and the evolution of the gravitational couplings perturbing each other

planetary orbits. In some cases and for specific frequencies, this analysis technique also led to the discovery

that the coherence phase can rotate clockwise or anticlockwise. The eccentricity function of the orbit of

Jupiter presents large oscillations with periods of about 60 and 900-960 years, mostly due to the interaction

with Saturn. These oscillations also correspond to oscillations found in several geophysical records. The

eccentricity functions of Uranus and Neptune are characterized by a large 4.300-year oscillation. The

eccentricity function of Pluto is characterized by a large nearly 20.000-year modulation.

Keywords: Eccentricity function, Orbital perturbations, Planetary system.

DOI: 10.1134/S0320010819110123

¹ Полностью статья публикуется в английской версии журнала (Astronomy Letters Vol. 45, № 11, 2019).

*E-mail: nicola.scafetta@unina.it

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