Roche's limit

Roche's limit [′rō·shəz ‚lim·ət]

(astrophysics)

The limiting distance below which a satellite orbiting a celestial body would be disrupted by the tidal forces generated by the gravitational attraction of the primary; the distance depends on the relative densities of the bodies and on the orbit of the satellite; it is computed byR= 2.45(Lr), whereLis a factor that depends on the relative densities of the satellite and the body,Ris the radius of the satellite's orbit measured from the center of the primary body, andris the radius of the primary body; if the satellite and the body have the same density, the relationship isR= 2.45r.