The Kuiper Belt Luminosity Function from m(r)=21 to 26

Details The Kuiper Belt Luminosity Function from m(r)=21 to 26 The Kuiper Belt Luminosity Function from m(r)=21 to 26

Sep 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.3708f&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #37.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.551

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Scientific paper

We have performed a deep ecliptic survey of the Kuiper belt to a depth of m (r) 25.6 with an arial coverage of 2.2 square degrees. This survey has the largest arial coverage of any other Kuiper belt survey to this depth. Using a new search technique, we reliably detect 40 objects, two of which have been observed previously. We have developed a new Bayesian maximum likelihood fitting techinique, and have used this to measure the luminosity function of the belt. Combining our detections with previous surveys, we find the luminosity function is well represented by a power-law with slope α = 0.72 and a sky density of 1 object per square degree brighter than m(r)=23.5. Assuming constant albedos, this slope suggests a size-distribution slope of 4.6, which is steeper than the Dohnanyi slope of 3.5 expected if the belt was in a state of collisional equilibrium. We find no evidence for a roll-over or knee in the luminosity function brightward of m(r)=26. We also find no evidence to suggest a large difference in the size distribution of plutinos versus the so-called classical Kuiper belt objects.
This project was supported by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the National Research council of Canada.

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