Constraining The Size Distribution Of Trans-Neptunian Objects By Stellar Occultation

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Serendipitous stellar occultations by small transneptunian objects (TNOs) have no other competing methods as the magnitude of the corresponding objects, R 35 or fainter, is unreachable through classical ground-based imaging. Such occultations reveal the vertical and radial distribution of the TNOs as far as 50 AU and beyond. Also, it provides information on size distribution down to 100 m, a key parameter for better understanding formation processes in this remote region of the solar system. This information is critical for better understanding the planet formation stage. In particular, the primordial structure of the proto-planetary disk just outside the giant planet region has been deeply modified by planetary migrations, resonance trapping and collisions. A better knowledge of the Kuiper Belt will allow comparisons with circumstellar material around other stars, and provides some clues on the comet belt observed around the β-Pictoris system, and rings or disk-like features akin to Kuiper belts around other young stars.
We conducted a survey for serendipitous occultations in 17-20 May 2005 using the high-speed, triple-beam imaging photometer ULTRACAM, mounted at the visitor focus of the 8.2-m Very Large Telescope in Chile. We report on 19 hours of fast-photometry data. We run a complex procedure to analyse the lightcurve and found no occultation event. However these results bring strong constraints on the Kuiper belt structure. We discuss inference on the size distribution and on the radial distribution of the Kuiper Belt.

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