Related papers: Pencil-Beam Surveys for Trans-Neptunian Objects: L…
Asymmetric debris discs have been found around stars other than the Sun; asymmetries are sometimes attributed to perturbations induced by unseen planets. The presence or absence of asymmetries in our own trans-Neptunian belt remains…
We present estimates of the basic physical properties (size and albedo) of (90377) Sedna, a prominent member of the detached trans-Neptunian object population and the recently discovered scattered disk object 2010 EK139, based on the recent…
The outer solar system is populated by a broad aggregate of minor bodies, which occupy orbits whose dynamical character ranges from long-term stable to rapidly diffusive. We investigate the chaotic properties of known distant…
Direct imaging surveys have found that long-period super-Jupiters are rare. By contrast, recent modeling of the widespread gaps in protoplanetary disks revealed by ALMA suggests an abundant population of smaller Neptune to Jupiter-mass…
It is a well-known fact that the presence of a massive perturber interacting with a population of minor bodies following very eccentric orbits can strongly affect the distribution of their nodal distances. The details of this process have…
We use seven year's worth of observations from the Catalina Sky Survey and the Siding Spring Survey covering most of the northern and southern hemisphere at galactic latitudes higher than 20 degrees to search for serendipitously imaged…
The most distant known trans-Neptunian objects (perihelion distance above 38 au and semimajor axis above 150 au) are of interest for their potential to reveal past, external, or present but unseen perturbers. Realizing this potential…
The orbits of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) can indicate the existence of an undiscovered planet in the outer solar system. Here, we used N-body computer simulations to investigate the effects of a hypothetical Kuiper Belt planet (KBP) on…
Stellar occultations provide a powerful tool to explore objects of the outer solar system. The Gaia mission now provides milli-arcsec accuracy on the predictions of these events and makes possible observations that were previously…
The Scattered Disk Objects (SDOs) are thought to be a small fraction of the ancient population of leftover planetesimals in the outer solar system that were gravitationally scattered by the giant planets and have managed to survive…
We report the discovery and orbit determination of 14 trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) from the ESSENCE Supernova Survey difference imaging dataset. Two additional objects discovered in a similar search of the SDSS-II Supernova Survey…
Resonant dynamics plays a significant role in the past evolution and current state of our outer Solar System. The population ratios and spatial distribution of Neptune's resonant populations are direct clues to understanding the history of…
The first two observational sky "blocks" of the Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS) have significantly increased the number of well-characterized observed trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) in Neptune's mean motion resonances. We describe…
Serendipitous stellar occultation search is so far the only way to detect the existence of very small, very dim, remote objects in the solar system. To date, however, there are only very few reported detections for trans-Neptunian objects…
Context: Trans-Neptunian objects are distant bodies that retain valuable information about the origin and evolution of the Solar System. Many of these objects constitute binary systems. Studying binaries allows us to further characterise…
We present the results of a search for occultation events by objects at distances between 100 and 1000 AU in lightcurves from the Taiwanese-American Occultation Survey (TAOS). We searched for consecutive, shallow flux reductions in the…
Aims. We study the dynamical evolution of a system consisting of the giant planets and a massive planetesimal disk over the age of the Solar System. The main question addressed in this study is whether distant trans-Neptunian objects could…
Trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs are small solar system bodies that reside in the outer parts of the solar system. These objects present photometric behaviours that are influenced due to a change in their aspect angle. Using absolute…
Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) provide a window into the history of the Solar System, but they can be challenging to observe due to their distance from the Sun and relatively low brightness. Here we report the detection of 75 moving objects…
The scattered disk is a vast population of trans-Neptunian minor bodies that orbit the sun on highly elongated, long-period orbits. The stability of scattered disk objects is primarily controlled by a single parameter - their perihelion…