Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
S. Balaji, N. Zaveri, N. Hayashi, A. Hermosillo Ruiz, J. Barnes, R. Murray-Clay, K. Volk, J. Gerhardt, Z. Syed
Summary: We explore a simplified model of an early outer Solar System gravitational upheaval and find that stability sculpting may explain the observed 3:2 resonant population, but a distinct process is required to explain the inclination distribution.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexandra Witze
Summary: Despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, astronomers detected thousands of previously unknown near-Earth asteroids last year.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Adam Parhi, Dina Prialnik
Summary: The most volatile ices (CO and CH4) are depleted over a timescale of about 100 million years, while other ices can be preserved. This is consistent with data collected by New Horizons on Arrokoth, showing the presence of methanol, and possibly, H2O, CO2, NH3, and C2H6, but no hypervolatiles. The effect of short-lived radionuclides is to increase the sublimation equilibrium temperatures and reduce volatile depletion times.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Andrew Shannon, Alain Doressoundiram, Francoise Roques, Bruno Sicardy, Quentin Kral
Summary: The number of small bodies in the outer solar system is more than previously estimated, as indicated by the impact craters on Pluto and Charon. Models show that the initial size of these bodies decreases with increasing semimajor axis of formation and that there is a 2:1 resonance with Neptune. Extended serendipitous occultation surveys with a broad sky coverage are the most practical approach to studying these bodies.
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Q. Kral, J. E. Pringle, A. Guilbert-Lepoutre, L. Matra, J. Moses, E. Lellouch, M. C. Wyatt, N. Biver, D. Bockelee-Morvan, A. Bonsor, F. Le Petit, G. Randall Gladstone
Summary: This study investigates the presence of gas in the Kuiper belt in our Solar System, finding that only bodies larger than 4 km can still contain CO ice. It predicts ongoing production of CO gas in the Kuiper belt and the existence of a gas wind spreading throughout the Solar System.
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Adrian Brunini
Summary: The action of tidal friction and Kozai cycles significantly alters the original orbits of trans-Neptunian binaries (TNBs). The dynamics of the Kozai mechanism depends on the orientation of the mutual orbit relative to the heliocentric orbital plane, which affects the magnitude and characteristics of the cycles. This study focuses on the effect of giant planet perturbations on the heliocentric orbits of TNBs in relation to the dynamics of Kozai cycles and tidal friction. Numerical simulations show that in about 25% of cases, these perturbations cause substantial changes in the orbital evolution, leading to irregular dynamics and a morphological shift in the Kozai cycles. When coupled with tidal friction, these variations can significantly impact the lifetime of TNBs.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexandra Witze
Summary: The mysterious space rock, possibly the exposed core of a planet that failed to fully form, could provide insights into the origins of the Solar System.
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexandra Witze
Summary: Samples collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission have the potential to reveal secrets of the Solar System.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ivan I. Shevchenko, Jose Lages, Dmitrii E. Vavilov, Guillaume Rollin
Summary: This study examines the dynamical environments of (486958) Arrokoth, including its present state and long-term evolution from the formation of the Kuiper Belt Object (KBO). Both analytical and numerical approaches are used to explore debris removal mechanisms and estimate removal time-scales. The study also assesses the survival opportunities for debris orbiting around Arrokoth, providing an explanation for the absence of debris in its vicinity.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
V. V. Emel'yanenko
Summary: We study the dynamical evolution of a system consisting of giant planets and a massive planetesimal disk. Our simulations show that the combined action of planetary perturbations and the self-gravity of the disk can produce distant trans-Neptunian objects, with the long-period resonances between planetesimals playing a major role. The distribution of inclinations in our model is similar to the observed distribution for distant trans-Neptunian objects.
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rodney Gomes
Summary: The Classical Kuiper Belt consists of low inclination objects with reddish colors, mostly in binary systems. These objects are believed to have formed in situ from primordial ice pebbles coalescing into planetesimals. A proposed mechanism suggests that reddish objects originated in the outer part of the planetesimal disk and were transported to their current locations by various processes, including short range scattering. This theory aims to explain the distribution of all objects sharing similar color characteristics in the outer region of the primordial planetesimal disk, with the Cold Classical Kuiper Belt estimated to have formed closer inwards and with a greater mass compared to its present state.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
David Nesvorny
Summary: By studying the dynamical structure of the Kuiper Belt and modeling Neptune's orbital evolution, researchers have shown that Neptune likely migrated from a smaller orbit to its current position. However, there are still discrepancies in explaining certain features of Kuiper Belt objects, requiring further research.
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
David Vizgan, A. Meredith Hughes, Evan S. Carter, Kevin M. Flaherty, Margaret Pan, Eugene Chiang, Hilke Schlichting, David J. Wilner, Sean M. Andrews, John M. Carpenter, Attila Moor, Meredith A. MacGregor
Summary: Debris disks, which are scaled-up analogs of the Kuiper Belt, generate dust through collisions between planetesimals. By observing the debris disk around the nearby M dwarf AU Microscopii, researchers discovered that smaller bodies are more easily disrupted by collisions, contradicting current assumptions.
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meenakshi Wadhwa
Summary: The safe delivery of samples from an asteroid on September 24th will commence a global scientific journey, highlighting the need for support in similar missions.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco Micheli
Summary: A simple and physically realistic model is proposed to reconcile the seemingly contradictory observations of the first known interstellar object, providing an understanding of its peculiarities.