Title: Chaos in the motion of asteroids
Author: Z. Knezevic   Main Session Speaker
Contact: Dr. Knezevic Yaroslav

ABSTRACT
Chaos in the motion of asteroids is considerd from three different points of view. First we show how one can recognize the chaotic behaviour in the motion of asteroids and measure the degree of chaos. Next we discuss the dynamical mechanisms responsible for the onset of chaos. Finally, we give some examples on how chaotic diffusion and the resulting macroscopic instabilities can be used to study dynamical and physical properties of individual bodies, of their groupings, and of the asteroid belt as a whole. The method of "chaotic chronology", used to estimate an upper limit to the age of asteroid families, and an application of this method to Veritas family are described. Finally an attempt is made to probe the stability of the asteroid belt over exponentially long time-spans, by applying a spectral formulation of the Nekhoroshev theorem to real asteroids.