The orbital distribution of trans-Neptunian objects beyond 50 au
Authors:Nesvorny et alAbstract:The dynamical structure of the Kuiper belt beyond 50 au is not well understood. Here we report results of a numerical model with long-range, slow and grainy migration of Neptune. The model implies that bodies scattered outward by Neptune to semimajor axes a>50 au often evolve into resonances which subsequently act to raise the perihelion distances of orbits to q>40 au. The implication of the model is that the orbits with 5040 au should cluster near (but not in) the resonances with Neptune (3:1 at a=62.6 au, 4:1 at a=75.9 au, 5:1 at a=88.0 au, etc.). The recent detection of several distant Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) near resonances is consistent with this prediction, but it is not yet clear whether the orbits are really non-resonant as our model predicts. We estimate from the model that there should presently be ~1600-2400 bodies at the 3:1 resonance and ~1000-1400 bodies at the 4:1 resonance (for q>40 au and diameters D>100 km). These results favorably compare with the population census of distant KBOs inferred from existing observations.
Thursday, August 11, 2016
There are an Estimated 2600 to 3800 Kuiper Belt Objects Beyond 50 AU
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