scholarly journals Understanding the trans-Neptunian Solar system; Reconciling the results of serendipitous stellar occultations and the inferences from the cratering record.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Shannon ◽  
Alain Doressoundiram ◽  
Françoise Roques ◽  
Bruno Sicardy
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Semimajor Axis ◽  
Evolutionary Models ◽  
Initial Size ◽  
Small Bodies ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
Mcmc Sampling ◽  
Stellar Occultations ◽  
Formation Conditions ◽  
Optical Surveys

<p>The most pristine remnants of the Solar system's planet formation epoch orbit the Sun beyond Neptune, the small bodies of the trans-Neptunian object populations.  The bulk of the mass is in ~100 km objects, but objects at smaller sizes have undergone minimal collisional processing, with "New Horizons" recently revealing that ~20 km (486958) Arrokoth appears to be a primordial body, not a collisional fragment.  This indicates bodies at these sizes (and perhaps smaller) retain a record of how they were formed.  However, such bodies are impractical to find by optical surveys due to their very low brightnesses.  Their presence can be inferred from the observed cratering record of Pluto and Charon, and directly measured by serendipitous stellar occultations.  These two methods produce conflicting results, with occultations measuring roughly ten times the number of ~km bodies inferred from the cratering record.  We apply MCMC sampling to explore numerical evolutionary models of the outer Solar system to understand what formation conditions can reconcile the occultations and cratering observations.  We find that models where the initial size of bodies decreases with their semimajor axis of formation, and models where the surface density of bodies increases beyond the 2:1 mean-motion resonance with Neptune can produce both sets of observations.  We discuss the astrophysical plausibility of these solutions, and possible future observations tests of them.</p>

scholarly journals The geology and geophysics of Kuiper Belt object (486958) Arrokoth

Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 367 (6481) ◽  
pp. eaay3999 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Spencer ◽  
S. A. Stern ◽  
J. M. Moore ◽  
H. A. Weaver ◽  
K. N. Singer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Smooth Surface ◽  
Kuiper Belt ◽  
Solar System Formation ◽  
Small Bodies ◽  
Kuiper Belt Object ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
Geological Features ◽  
Solar System Bodies ◽  
Contact Binary

The Cold Classical Kuiper Belt, a class of small bodies in undisturbed orbits beyond Neptune, is composed of primitive objects preserving information about Solar System formation. In January 2019, the New Horizons spacecraft flew past one of these objects, the 36-kilometer-long contact binary (486958) Arrokoth (provisional designation 2014 MU69). Images from the flyby show that Arrokoth has no detectable rings, and no satellites (larger than 180 meters in diameter) within a radius of 8000 kilometers. Arrokoth has a lightly cratered, smooth surface with complex geological features, unlike those on previously visited Solar System bodies. The density of impact craters indicates the surface dates from the formation of the Solar System. The two lobes of the contact binary have closely aligned poles and equators, constraining their accretion mechanism.

scholarly journals Organic Components of Small Bodies in the Outer Solar System: Some Results of the New Horizons Mission

Life ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 126
Author(s):  
Dale P. Cruikshank ◽  
Yvonne J. Pendleton ◽  
William M. Grundy
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Kuiper Belt ◽  
Space Environment ◽  
Small Bodies ◽  
Orange Pigment ◽  
Kuiper Belt Object ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
Organic Components ◽  
Key Indicators ◽  
Complex Organic

The close encounters of the Pluto–Charon system and the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth (formerly 2014 MU69) by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in 2015 and 2019, respectively, have given new perspectives on the most distant planetary bodies yet explored. These bodies are key indicators of the composition, chemistry, and dynamics of the outer regions of the Solar System’s nascent environment. Pluto and Charon reveal characteristics of the largest Kuiper Belt objects formed in the dynamically evolving solar nebula inward of ~30 AU, while the much smaller Arrokoth is a largely undisturbed relic of accretion at ~45 AU. The surfaces of Pluto and Charon are covered with volatile and refractory ices and organic components, and have been shaped by geological activity. On Pluto, N2, CO and CH4 are exchanged between the atmosphere and surface as gaseous and condensed phases on diurnal, seasonal and longer timescales, while Charon’s surface is primarily inert H2O ice with an ammoniated component and a polar region colored with a macromolecular organic deposit. Arrokoth is revealed as a fused binary body in a relatively benign space environment where it originated and has remained for the age of the Solar System. Its surface is a mix of CH3OH ice, a red-orange pigment of presumed complex organic material, and possibly other undetected components.

scholarly journals Comet composition and Lab

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (A29A) ◽  
pp. 227-227
Author(s):  
Dominique Bockelée-Morvan
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Small Worlds ◽  
Icy Satellites ◽  
Small Bodies ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
Dwarf Planets ◽  
Cassini Mission ◽  
Solar System Bodies ◽  
Geochemical Analyses ◽  
Comet 67P

The XXIX IAU General Assembly took place during the golden year of the exploration of small solar system bodies. With the Rosetta ESA mission around comet 67P, NASA Dawn and New Horizons missions nearby dwarf planets Ceres and Pluto, respectively, and the NASA/Cassini mission in Saturn neighborhood, year 2015 marked an important step towards further understanding of small solar system bodies. On August 11-13, Focus meeting 9 "Highlights in the exploration of small worlds" gathered scientists of all over the world to present and discuss the spectacular results obtained from these missions, as well as recent achievements obtained from past missions, comprehensive spectroscopic surveys from space (e.g., Herschel, NEOWISE, Gaia), ground-based observations, and geochemical analyses. This meeting was also the opportunity to discuss the state of our understanding of the nature of the various populations of small bodies in the Solar System, including icy satellites, in a cosmo-chemistry perspective.

scholarly journals Interactions between Planets and Small Bodies: Introduction

1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 220-222
Author(s):  
M. Marov ◽  
H. Rickman
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Evolutionary Models ◽  
Laboratory Measurements ◽  
Small Bodies ◽  
Great Progress ◽  
History Of ◽  
Impact Phenomena ◽  
Remote Sensing Methods ◽  
Insight Into

The exploration of our Solar System is rapidly growing in importance as a scientific discipline. During the last decades, great progress has been achieved as the result of space missions to planets and small bodies and improved remote-sensing methods, as well as due to refined techniques of laboratory measurements and a rapid progress in theoretical studies, involving the development of various astrophysical and geophysical evolutionary models, based in particular on the approach of comparative planetology. In the crossroads of astronomy and geophysics, recent years have seen a growing understanding of the importance of impact phenomena throughout the history of the Solar System and, therefore, the necessity to get more insight into the problem of interactions of planets and small bodies. This importance is clearly manifested by the observed cratering records of planetary surfaces and such dramatic events as the explosions of the comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 fragments in Jupiter’s atmosphere in 1994, that of the Tunguska object over Siberia in 1908, and the Chicxulub event dating back to the end of the Cretaceous.

scholarly journals Synthesis of Organic Matter in Aqueous Environments Simulating Small Bodies in the Solar System and the Effects of Minerals on Amino Acid Formation

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Walaa Elmasry ◽  
Yoko Kebukawa ◽  
Kensei Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Acid Formation ◽  
Gel Chromatography ◽  
Small Bodies ◽  
Enhanced Production ◽  
Aqueous Environments ◽  
Heating Duration

The extraterrestrial delivery of organics to primitive Earth has been supported by many laboratory and space experiments. Minerals played an important role in the evolution of meteoritic organic matter. In this study, we simulated aqueous alteration in small bodies by using a solution mixture of H2CO and NH3 in the presence of water at 150 °C under different heating durations, which produced amino acids after acid hydrolysis. Moreover, minerals were added to the previous mixture to examine their catalyzing/inhibiting impact on amino acid formation. Without minerals, glycine was the dominant amino acid obtained at 1 d of the heating experiment, while alanine and β-alanine increased significantly and became dominant after 3 to 7 d. Minerals enhanced the yield of amino acids at short heating duration (1 d); however, they induced their decomposition at longer heating duration (7 d). Additionally, montmorillonite enhanced amino acid production at 1 d, while olivine and serpentine enhanced production at 3 d. Molecular weight distribution in the whole of the products obtained by gel chromatography showed that minerals enhanced both decomposition and combination of molecules. Our results indicate that minerals affected the formation of amino acids in aqueous environments in small Solar System bodies and that the amino acids could have different response behaviors according to different minerals.

The formation and evolution of the solar system

2021 ◽  
Vol 03 (01) ◽  
pp. 85-87
Author(s):  
Türkanə Mirzəli qızı Əliyeva ◽  
◽  
Vəfa Əjdər qızı Qafarova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Kuiper Belt ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
T Tauri ◽  
Dwarf Planets ◽  
Celestial Bodies ◽  
Extensive Information ◽  
Formation And Evolution ◽  
Red Giant ◽  
Planet X

The article provides extensive information on the formation, evolution and structure of the solar system. It also discusses the planets of the solar system and the dwarf planets. Its noted that the Kuiper objects are the celestial bodies which belongs to the solar system. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is currently helps studying four objects in the Kuiper belt. There is also talked about TTauri type stars. The article discusses the future transformation of the Sun from a Red Giant to a White Dwarf. Key words: Kuiper Belt, T Tauri Star, Dwarf Planets, Planet X

scholarly journals Planetary populations according to the orbital angular momentum

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S265) ◽  
pp. 420-421
Author(s):  
João A. S. Amarante ◽  
Helio J. Rocha-Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Angular Momentum ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Orbital Angular Momentum ◽  
Momentum Distribution ◽  
Semimajor Axis ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Planetary Mass ◽  
Exoplanetary Systems ◽  
Planetary Migration ◽  
Two Populations

AbstractWe investigate the angular momentum distribution of known exoplanetary systems, as a function of the planetary mass, orbital semimajor axis and metallicity of the host star. We find exoplanets seems to be classified according to at least two ‘populations’, with respect to their angular momentum properties. This classification is independent on the composition of the planet and seems to be valid for both jovian and neptunian planets, and probably can be extrapolated to the terrestrial planets of the Solar System. We analyse these ‘populations’ considering the phenomenon of planetary migration.

The Diverse Population of Small Bodies of the Solar System

2018 ◽  
pp. 395-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia de León ◽  
Javier Licandro ◽  
Noemí Pinilla-Alonso
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Diverse Population ◽  
Small Bodies
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