J/ApJ/720/1691 Observations of the distant Kuiper belt (Schwamb+, 2010)
Properties of the distant Kuiper belt: results from the Palomar distant solar
system survey.
Schwamb M.E., Brown M.E., Rabinowitz D.L., Ragozzine D.
<Astrophys. J., 720, 1691-1707 (2010)>
=2010ApJ...720.1691S 2010ApJ...720.1691S
ADC_Keywords: Solar system ; Minor planets ; Magnitudes ; Surveys
Keywords: Kuiper Belt: general - Oort Cloud
Abstract:
We present the results of a wide-field survey using the 1.2m Samuel
Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory. This survey was designed to
find the most distant members of the Kuiper Belt and beyond. We
searched ∼12000deg2 down to a mean limiting magnitude of 21.3 in R.
A total number of 52 Kuiper Belt objects and Centaurs have been
detected, 25 of which were discovered in this survey. Except for the
redetection of Sedna, no additional Sedna-like bodies with perihelia
greater than 45AU were detected despite sensitivity out to distances
of 1000AU. We discuss the implications for a distant Sedna-like
population beyond the Kuiper Belt, focusing on the constraints we can
place on the embedded stellar cluster environment the early Sun may be
have been born in, where the location and distribution of Sedna-like
orbits sculpted by multiple stellar encounters is indicative of the
birth cluster size. We also report our observed latitude distribution
and implications for the size of the plutino population.
Description:
Observations were taken nightly using the robotic 1.2m Samuel Oschin
Telescope located at Palomar Observatory and the QUEST large-area CCD
camera. Observations were taken from 2007 May 8-2008 September 27. We
have surveyed in total 11786deg2 within ±30° of the ecliptic
to a mean depth of R magnitude 21.3. All exposures were taken through
the broadband red RG610 filter (IIIaF filter from the POSS-II survey)
with a wavelength range of λ=610-690nm.
File Summary:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FileName Lrecl Records Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ReadMe 80 . This file
table1.dat 81 2319 Summary of field positions
table2.dat 69 52 Orbital information for objects detected in the
survey
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See also:
B/astorb : Orbits of Minor Planets (Bowell+ 2012)
J/AJ/135/55 : NIR spectra of Centaurs and KBOs (Barkume+, 2008)
J/A+A/380/347 : BVRI photometry of 27 Kuiper Belt Objects (Delsanti+, 2001)
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table1.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 5 I5 --- Point [1/2319] Pointing number
7- 8 I2 h RAh Mosaic center Hour of Right Ascension (J2000)
10- 11 I2 min RAm Mosaic center Minute of Right Ascension (J2000)
13- 18 F6.3 s RAs Mosaic center Second of Right Ascension (J2000)
20 A1 --- DE- Sign of the Mosaic center Declination (J2000)
21- 22 I2 deg DEd Mosaic center Degree of Declination (J2000)
24- 25 I2 arcmin DEm Mosaic center Arcminute of Declination (J2000)
27- 31 F5.2 arcsec DEs Mosaic center Arcsecond of Declination (J2000)
33- 41 F9.3 d MJDN1O1 Modified Julian Date of 1st night 1 observation
43- 51 F9.3 d MJDN1O2 Modified Julian Date of 2nd night 1 observation
53- 56 F4.1 mag magN1 Magnitude limit from night 1 observation
58- 66 F9.3 d MJDN2O1 Modified Julian Date of 1st night 2 observation
68- 76 F9.3 d MJDN2O2 Modified Julian Date of 2nd night 2 observation
78- 81 F4.1 mag magN2 Magnitude limit from night 2 observation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byte-by-byte Description of file: table2.dat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1- 6 I6 --- Planet [19521/229762]? Planet number
8- 17 A10 --- ID Designation (YYYY AANNN) (1)
19- 24 F6.2 AU amaj Orbit semimajor axis (2)
26- 30 F5.3 --- e Orbit eccentricity (2)
32- 35 F4.1 deg i Orbit inclination (2)
37- 41 F5.2 AU R Barycentric distance (R) (2)
43- 44 I2 yr Opp [1/16] Oppositions observed (in years except where
days noted by d) (2)
45 A1 --- f_Opp [d] d: day unit for Opp
47- 50 F4.1 mag Average magnitude during night 1 (2)
52- 55 F4.1 mag Average magnitude during night 2 (2)
57- 59 F3.1 mag HMag Absolute magnitude (H) (2)
61- 69 A9 --- MMR Mean motion resonance (MMR) if applicable (2)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note (1): All 2007 and 2008 classified objects were new discoveries found by
this work.
Note (2): Orbital elements reported by the Minor Planet Center of Centaurs and
KBOs detected in the Palomar survey.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
History:
From electronic version of the journal
(End) Greg Schwarz [AAS], Emmanuelle Perret [CDS] 04-Jul-2012