English

Rotational Study of 5:3 and 7:4 Resonant Objects within the Main Classical Trans-Neptunian Belt

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics 2024-02-09 v1

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 FR28_{28}, with a periodicity of 13.97±\pm0.04 h and a lightcurve amplitude of 0.94±\pm0.02 mag. With a V-/U-shaped lightcurve, 2013 FR28_{28} has one of the largest well-sampled TNO amplitude observed with ground-based observations, comparable to the well-determined contact binary 2001 QG298_{298}. 2013 FR28_{28} has a mass ratio q\sim1 with a density ρ\rho\sim1 g cm3^{-3}. We find several objects with large amplitudes and classify 2004 SC60_{60}, 2006 CJ69_{69}, and 2013 BN82_{82} as likely contact binaries, and 2001 QF331_{331}, 2003 YW179_{179}, and 2015 FP345_{345} as likely elongated objects. We observe the 17:9 resonant or classical object 2003 SP317_{317} 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 SC60_{60}, 2013 BN82_{82}, 2014 OL394_{394}, and 2015 FP345_{345} 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 SC60_{60}. 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.

Keywords

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)