The radial distribution of the Kuiper Belt

Chadwick A. Trujillo; Michael E. Brown

doi:10.1086/320917

The radial distribution of the Kuiper Belt

Chadwick A. Trujillo, Michael E. Brown

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

96 Scopus citations

Abstract

We examine the radial distribution of the Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) using a method that is insensitive to observational bias effects. This technique allows the use of the discovery distances of all KBOs, independent of orbital classification or discovery circumstance. We verify the presence of an outer edge to the Kuiper Belt, as reported in other works, and we measure this edge to be at R = 47 ± 1 AU given any physically plausible model of the size distribution. We confirm that this outer edge is due to the classical KBOs, the most numerically dominant observationally. In addition, we find that current surveys do not preclude the presence of a second, unobserved Kuiper Belt beyond R = 76 AU.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L95-L98
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	554
Issue number	1 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/320917
State	Published - Jun 10 2001
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Kuiper Belt, Oort Cloud
Minor planets, asteroids
Solar system: formation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/320917

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abstract = "We examine the radial distribution of the Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) using a method that is insensitive to observational bias effects. This technique allows the use of the discovery distances of all KBOs, independent of orbital classification or discovery circumstance. We verify the presence of an outer edge to the Kuiper Belt, as reported in other works, and we measure this edge to be at R = 47 ± 1 AU given any physically plausible model of the size distribution. We confirm that this outer edge is due to the classical KBOs, the most numerically dominant observationally. In addition, we find that current surveys do not preclude the presence of a second, unobserved Kuiper Belt beyond R = 76 AU.",

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AU - Brown, Michael E.

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AB - We examine the radial distribution of the Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) using a method that is insensitive to observational bias effects. This technique allows the use of the discovery distances of all KBOs, independent of orbital classification or discovery circumstance. We verify the presence of an outer edge to the Kuiper Belt, as reported in other works, and we measure this edge to be at R = 47 ± 1 AU given any physically plausible model of the size distribution. We confirm that this outer edge is due to the classical KBOs, the most numerically dominant observationally. In addition, we find that current surveys do not preclude the presence of a second, unobserved Kuiper Belt beyond R = 76 AU.

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KW - Solar system: formation

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The radial distribution of the Kuiper Belt

Abstract

Keywords

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