There were 2 new Centaur/SDO discoveries announced since the previous issue of Distant EKOs:
2013 RN30, 2013 TP145
Reclassified objects:
2011 GM27 (SDOTNO)
Current number of TNOs: 1259 (including Pluto)
Current number of Centaurs/SDOs: 377
Current number of Neptune Trojans: 9
Out of a total of 1645 objects:
642 have measurements from only one opposition
631 of those have had no measurements for more than a year
324 of those have arcs shorter than 10 days
(for more details, see:
http://www.boulder.swri.edu/ekonews/objects/recov_stats.jpg)
We report the discovery of 2010 GB174, a likely new member of the
Inner Oort Cloud (IOC). 2010 GB174 is one of 91 Trans Neptunian
Objects (TNOs) and Centaurs discovered in a 76 deg2 contiguous
region imaged as part of the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey
(NGVS) -- a moderate ecliptic latitude survey reaching a mean
limiting magnitude of
-- using MegaPrime on
the 3.6m Canada France Hawaii Telescope. 2010 GB174 is found to
have an orbit with semi-major axis 
AU, inclination
and pericentre 
AU. This is the second
largest perihelion distance among known solar system objects.
Based on the sky coverage and depth of the NGVS, we estimate the
number of IOC members with sizes larger than 300 km (
mag) to be
. A comparison of the detection rate from
the NGVS and the PDSSS (a characterized survey that `re-discovered'
the IOC object Sedna) gives, for an assumed a power-law LF for IOC
objects, a slope of
, with only two
detections in this region this slope estimate is highly uncertain.
Published in: The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 775, L8 (2013 September 20)
For preprints, contact charles@astro.ncu.edu.tw
or on the web at http://iopscience.iop.org/2041-8205/775/1/L8/
and http://arxiv.org/abs/1308.6041
The dynamics of the high-inclination Plutinos is systematically studied.
We first present the peculiar features of the 2:3 Neptune mean motion
resonance (NMMR) for inclined orbits, especially for the correlation of
resonant amplitude 
with inclination i. Using the
numerical integrations for the age of the Solar system, the dynamical
structure of the 2:3 NMMR is mapped out on the plane of semi-major axis
versus i for different eccentricities. We have shown that i of
stable resonant orbits could be as high as 
; and the stable
region is roughly surrounded by the contours of
. These new findings allow us to further explore
the 2:3 NMMR capture and retention of planetesimals with initial
inclinations
in the frame of the planet migration
model. We find that the outward transportation of Plutinos is possible
for any inclined or even perpendicular orbits.
The role of i0 in the formation of Plutinos during Neptune's
migration is highlighted and interesting results are obtained: (1) The
capture efficiency of the 2:3 NMMR decreases drastically first with the
increase of i0, but it then raises instead when i0 exceeds
; (2) The magnitude of i-variation is limited to less
than 
for any i0, and moreover, for Plutinos with
, their i are forced to decrease throughout the
outward migration; (3) Plutinos with
are certainly
outside the Kozai mechanism, since an inclination increase is prohibited
by the migrating 2:3 NMMR; (4) The 7:11 inclination-type NMMR could be
responsible for nearly-circular Plutinos, and a minimum
is required to intrigue this mechanism.
To appear in: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Preprints available on the web at http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.0907
and
http://mnras.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/10/25/mnras.stt1872.full.pdf
We explore the brightness distribution of the largest and brightest
(m(R)<22) Kuiper belt objects (KBOs). We construct a luminosity
function of the dynamically excited or hot Kuiper belt (orbits with
inclinations > 5
) from the very brightest to m(R)=23.
We find for m(R)
23, a single slope appears to describe
the luminosity function. We estimate 
12 KBOs brighter than
m(R)19.5 are present in the Kuiper belt today. With 9
bodies already discovered this suggests that the inventory of bright
KBOs is nearly complete.
To appear in: The Astronomical Journal
Preprints available at http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.7049
The Size-distribution of Scattered Disk TNOs from that of JFCs between 0.2 and 15 km Effective Radius
Michael J.S. Belton1
1 Belton Space Exploration Initiatives, Tucson, AZ, USA
Submitted to: Icarus
For preprints, contact mbelton@dakotacom.net
We present the results of determination of Pluto's positions derived from photographic plates taken in 1930-1960. Observations were made with Normal Astrograph at Pulkovo Observatory. Digitization of these plates was performed with high precision scanner at Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB Digitizer). Mean values of standard errors of plate positions (x,y) lie between 12 and 18 mas. The UCAC4 catalogue was used as an astrometric calibrator. Standard errors of equatorial coordinates obtained are within 85 to 100 mas. Final table contains 63 positions of Pluto referred to the HCRF/UCAC4 frame. This work was performed with support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 12-02-00675a).
Published in: Proc. of All-Russian Astronomical Conference, Saint Petersburg,
2013 September 23-27, 2013, 265
For preprints, contact deimos@gao.spb.ru
or on the web at http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.7502
http://congrexprojects.com/2014-events/48-ESLAB/
Dear colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to the 48th ESLAB Symposium on "New insights into volcanism across the Solar System". The Symposium will take place from 16-20 June 2014 at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) located in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.
It will focus on volcanism in the Solar System. Of particular interest, but not limited to, will be new insights obtained over the last years from international space missions to planets (e.g., MESSENGER, LRO, Selene, etc.), Moons and cryo-volcanism. The connection with Earth by will be covered by experts on terrestrial volcanism.
The format will be made up of plenary sessions on topics related to volcanism in the Solar System, with contributed oral and poster presentations. Part of the Symposium may be devoted to parallel sessions on specialized topics where details can be discussed at greater length. This will depend on the response to the Call for Papers.
The second announcement with the call for abstracts and other detailed information is available on the meeting website: | http://congrexprojects.com/2014-events/48-ESLAB/ |
Pre-registration is already available on this website which will ensure that you receive regular updates from the Symposium organisers.
Financial support may be available for students.
Kind regards,
The LOC, 48th ESLAB
We accept submissions for the following sections:
Distant EKOs is not a refereed publication, but is a tool for furthering communication among people interested in Kuiper belt research. Publication or listing of an article in the Newsletter or the web page does not constitute an endorsement of the article's results or imply validity of its contents. When referencing an article, please reference the original source; Distant EKOs is not a substitute for peer-reviewed journals.