Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Oct 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.2306p&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #23.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.992
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Ultra-wide, near-equal mass Trans-Neptunian binaries (TNBs) are difficult to create, very sensitive to perturbation, and represent 5-10% of all TNBs. Accurate mutual orbits and masses, derived from a long astrometric monitoring campaign, are presented for seven ultra-wide binaries in the Cold Classical Kuiper Belt, six of which have non-degenerate pole solutions. We use the properties of these binaries to constrain the dynamical history and collisional environment of the Kuiper Belt. Due to the ease by which tidal impulses can disrupt these systems, we find that a binary-bearing component of the Cold Classical Kuiper Belt was never subjected to a period of Neptune close encounters, and may have been formed in-situ. Additionally, we use the susceptibility of these systems to disruption by collision to determine an upper limit on the population of small (R>1km) objects in the current Kuiper Belt.
Alex H. Parker is supported by the NSF-GRFP award DGE-0836694.
Kavelaars John J.
Parker Alex
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