Brown, Michael E. and Pan, Margaret (2004) The Plane of the Kuiper Belt. Astronomical Journal, 127 (4). pp. 2418-2423. ISSN 0004-6256. doi:10.1086/382515. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20120926-101844127
![]()
|
PDF
- Published Version
See Usage Policy. 385kB |
Use this Persistent URL to link to this item: https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20120926-101844127
Abstract
We present a robust method for measuring the effective plane of the Kuiper belt. The derived plane has an inclination with respect to the ecliptic of 1º.86 and an ascending node of 81º.6, with a 1 σ error in pole position of the plane of 0º.37. The plane of the Kuiper belt is inconsistent with the invariable plane, the plane of Jupiter, and the plane of Neptune at the greater than 3 σ level. Using linear secular perturbation theory, we show that the plane of the Kuiper belt is expected to oscillate about the position of the invariable plane with a period of 1.9 million years and an amplitude of 1º.2. The present predicted position of the plane of the Kuiper belt has an inclination with respect to the ecliptic of 1º.74 and an ascending node of 86º.7, within 0º.20 of our measured position.
Item Type: | Article | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Related URLs: |
| |||||||||
ORCID: |
| |||||||||
Additional Information: | © 2004 American Astronomical Society. Received 2003 July 30; accepted 2003 December 23. We thank Chad Trujillo and Re’em Sari for inspirational conversations. This research is supported by a PECASE grant from NASA Planetary Astronomy | |||||||||
Group: | UNSPECIFIED, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences | |||||||||
Funders: |
| |||||||||
Subject Keywords: | Kuiper Belt; solar system: general | |||||||||
Issue or Number: | 4 | |||||||||
DOI: | 10.1086/382515 | |||||||||
Record Number: | CaltechAUTHORS:20120926-101844127 | |||||||||
Persistent URL: | https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20120926-101844127 | |||||||||
Official Citation: | The Plane of the Kuiper Belt Michael E. Brown and Margaret Pan 2004 The Astronomical Journal 127 2418 | |||||||||
Usage Policy: | No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided. | |||||||||
ID Code: | 34427 | |||||||||
Collection: | CaltechAUTHORS | |||||||||
Deposited By: | Ruth Sustaita | |||||||||
Deposited On: | 26 Sep 2012 17:31 | |||||||||
Last Modified: | 09 Nov 2021 23:08 |
Repository Staff Only: item control page