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intermediate

Resonance sticking in the scattered disk

Lykawka, Patryk Sofia & Mukai, Tadashi (2007)

Published
Dec 1, 2007
DOI
10.1016/j.icarus.2007.06.007

At a GlanceAI

Scattered TNOs spend about 38% of their lives temporarily stuck in Neptune's resonances, mostly within 250 au.

SummaryAI

Following several thousand particles on Neptune-encountering orbits for 4 Gyr, the authors show that every scattered TNO alternates between gravitational scattering and temporary resonance captures, tens to hundreds of them, adding up to about 38% of its lifetime on average. Most captures happen at a < 250 au, and the stickiest resonances are those with the smallest second integer (r:1, r:2, r:3). Capture likelihood and duration scale roughly with resonance strength. Resonance sticking thus noticeably extends the lifetimes of scattered objects.

Method SnapshotAI

Numerical integration of test particles in the scattered disk over 4 Gyr.

BackgroundAI

Mean-motion resonances; scattering by Neptune.

Explores resonance sticking, which is key to understanding the dynamics of these objects.

— ES