Future dynamical evolution of the neptune-triton system. A new synthetic method of analysis (Q1057077)

The author studies the dynamical evolution of the Neptune-Triton system by considering that the planet is an extended deformable body and a prolate spheroid due to the tidal action by Triton and by assuming that the motion of Triton is retrograde on circular orbit. The equations are solved by the principle that the energy dissipation due to the tidal effects must be minimum during a complete evolution period of the system, in other words, by the time when Triton will plunge into Neptune. The results are compared with those by \textit{T. B. McCord} [Astron. J. 71, 585 ff. (1966)].