Candidate members and age estimate of the family of Kuiper Belt object 2003 EL61
Candidate members and age estimate of the family of Kuiper Belt object 2003 EL61
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DOI：
10.1086/522334
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发表时间：
2007-12-01
影响因子：
5.3
通讯作者：
Brown, M. E.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Ragozzine, D.;Brown, M. E.
柯伊伯带天体（KBO）2003EL 61的碰撞家族为许多有趣的新研究提供了可能性，这些研究在外太阳系的形成和演化中具有重要意义。作为柯伊伯带的第一个家族，它可以使用为研究小行星家族而开发的技术进行研究，尽管需要进行一些修改。应用这些修改后的技术允许2003年EL61家庭的动态研究。改变轨道所需的速度被用来定量识别碰撞附近的物体。还开发了用于识别在共振中潜在扩散的家族成员（如2003 EL61）的方法。已知的家庭成员是最接近碰撞的KBO之一，并确定了两个新的可能的家庭成员：2003 UZ 117和1999 OY 3。我们还提供了候选家庭成员的表格，需要未来的观察来确认成员资格。我们估计，共振扩散产生的2003年EL61的当前位置，这意味着该家庭可能是原始的，需要一个最小的类似1陀螺仪。一旦（许多）更多的共振物体被识别出来，年龄估计的未来改进是可能的。碰撞的古老性质与已知家庭成员看似新鲜的表面形成鲜明对比，表明我们对外太阳系表面的理解是不完整的。
The collisional family of Kuiper Belt object (KBO) 2003EL61 opens the possibility for many interesting new studies of processes important in the formation and evolution of the outer solar system. As the first family in the Kuiper Belt, it can be studied using techniques developed for studying asteroid families, although some modifications are necessary. Applying these modified techniques allows for a dynamical study of the 2003 EL61 family. The velocity required to change orbits is used to quantitatively identify objects near the collision. A method for identifying family members that have potentially diffused in resonances ( like 2003 EL61) is also developed. Known family members are among the very closest KBOs to the collision and two new likely family members are identified: 2003 UZ117 and 1999 OY3. We also give tables of candidate family members that require future observations to confirm membership. We estimate that a minimum of similar to 1 Gyr is needed for resonance diffusion to produce the current position of 2003 EL61, implying that the family is likely primordial. Future refinement of the age estimate is possible once ( many) more resonant objects are identified. The ancient nature of the collision contrasts with the seemingly fresh surfaces of known family members, suggesting that our understanding of outer solar system surfaces is incomplete.