A Search for Small Kuiper Belt Objects by Stellar Occultations
A Search for Small Kuiper Belt Objects by Stellar Occultations
复制标题
通过恒星掩星寻找小型柯伊伯带天体
DOI：
10.1086/378576
复制
发表时间：
2003
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
J. Lecacheux
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Françoise Roques;Michel Moncuquet;N. Lavillonière;M. Auvergne;M. Chevreton;F. Colas;J. Lecacheux
我们报告的条件和结果的观测活动在2000年9月在Pic du Midi天文台，并致力于第一次研究柯伊伯带天体（KBO）的恒星掩星。观测包括用快速光度计（20赫兹）记录一颗精心挑选的星星的通量，并计算这颗星星被经过的KBO掩星的次数。该活动提供了15小时的优质信号（rms σ ~ 1.8%），并且在4 σ检测水平下KBO的检测为零。对于假设为r-q变化的KBO微分粒度分布，第一个结果表明斜率q ≥ 4.5。通过对数据的精细分析，研究衍射图案，我们发现了一个与150 m KBO兼容的3 σ检测水平的事件。更一般地说，KBO在≥2 m级望远镜上进行的恒星掩星观测活动可以在统计上限制斜率和预期的翻转半径，这是由于亚千米KBO尺寸分布的碰撞侵蚀。
We report the conditions and results of an observation campaign organized in 2000 September at the Pic du Midi Observatory, and dedicated for the first time to the study of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) by stellar occultations. The observation consisted of recording the flux of a well-chosen star with a fast photometer (20 Hz) and counting occultations of this star by passing KBOs. The campaign provided 15 hr of good-quality signal (rms σ ~ 1.8%) and zero detections of KBOs at a 4 σ detection level. For a KBO differential size distribution assumed to vary as r-q, this first result suggests a slope q ≲ 4.5. A refined analysis of the data, studying diffraction patterns, allowed us to find an event at a 3 σ detection level compatible with a 150 m KBO. More generally, observation campaigns of stellar occultation by KBOs on ≥2 m class telescopes could statistically constrain the slope and the expected turnover radius due to collisional erosion of the subkilometer KBO size distribution.