Trans-Neptunian Objects Close to the 2:5 and 1:3 Orbital Resonance With Neptune

Dynamical formation of detached trans-Neptunian objects close to the 2:5 and 1:3 mean motion resonances with Neptune

Authors:

Brasil et al

Abstract:

Through a semi-analytic approach of the Kozai resonance inside an MMR, we show phase diagrams (e,{\omega}) that suggest the possibility of a scattered particle, after being captured in an MMR with Neptune, to become a detached object. We ran several numerical integrations with thousands of particles perturbed by the four major planets, and there are cases with and without Neptune's residual migration. These were developed to check the semi-analytic approach and to better understand the dynamical mechanisms that produce the detached objects close to an MMR. The numerical simulations with and without a residual migration for Neptune stress the importance of a particular resonance mode, which we name the hibernating mode, on the formation of fossilized detached objects close to MMRs. When considering Neptune's residual migration we are able to show the formation of detached orbits. These objects are fossilized and cannot be trapped in the MMRs again. We find a ratio of the number of fossilized objects with moderate perihelion distance (35 less than q less than 40 au) to the number of objects with high perihelion distance (q greater than 40 au) as 3.0/1 for objects close to the 2:5, and 1.7/1 for objects close to the 1:3 resonance. We estimate that the two fossilized population have a total mass between 0.1 and 0.3 Pluto's mass.