Rotational Study of 5:3 and 7:4 Resonant Objects within the Main Classical Trans-Neptunian Belt
Abstract
The 5:3 and 7:4 mean motion resonances of Neptune are at 42.3 and 43.7 au, respectively, and overlap with objects in the Classical trans-neptunian belt (Kuiper belt). We report the complete/partial lightcurves of 13 and 14 trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) in the 5:3 and 7:4 resonances, respectively. We report a most likely contact binary in the 7:4 resonance, 2013 FR, with a periodicity of 13.970.04 h and a lightcurve amplitude of 0.940.02 mag. With a V-/U-shaped lightcurve, 2013 FR has one of the largest well-sampled TNO amplitude observed with ground-based observations, comparable to the well-determined contact binary 2001 QG. 2013 FR has a mass ratio q1 with a density 1 g cm. We find several objects with large amplitudes and classify 2004 SC, 2006 CJ, and 2013 BN as likely contact binaries, and 2001 QF, 2003 YW, and 2015 FP as likely elongated objects. We observe the 17:9 resonant or classical object 2003 SP that we classify as a likely contact binary. A lower estimate of 10-50% and 20-55% for the fraction of (nearly) equal-sized contact binaries is calculated in the 5:3 and 7:4 resonances, respectively. Surface colors of 2004 SC, 2013 BN, 2014 OL, and 2015 FP have been obtained. Including these colors with ones from the literature reveals that elongated objects and contact binaries share the same ultra-red surface color, except Manw\"e-Thorondor and 2004 SC. Not only are the colors of the 7:4 and 5:3 TNOs similar to the Cold Classicals, but we demonstrate that the rotational properties of the 5:3 and 7:4 resonants are similar to those of the Cold Classicals, inferring a clear link between these sub-populations.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2402.05269,
title = {Rotational Study of 5:3 and 7:4 Resonant Objects within the Main Classical Trans-Neptunian Belt},
author = {Audrey Thirouin and Scott S. Sheppard},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2402.05269},
year = {2024}
}
Comments
Accepted for publication in Planetary Science Journal (PSJ)