1999/05/03 by Antonino Del Popolo, A. Del Popolo, E. Spedicato +5
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/9905014
10 pages, 4 encapsulated figures; accepted by A&A
openalex publication_date 1999/05/03 · arxiv created 1999/05/04 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In this paper we study the role of dynamical friction on the evolution of a population of large objects (m>1022 g) at heliocentric distances >70 AU in the Kuiper Belt. We show that the already flat distribution of these objects must flatten further due to non-spherically symmetric distribution of matter in the Kuiper Belt. Moreover the dynamical drag, produced by dynamical friction, causes objects of masses ≥ 1024 g to lose angular momentum and to fall through more central regions in a timescale ≈ 109 yr. This mechanism is able to transport inwards objects of the size of Pluto, supposing it was created beyond 50 AU, according to a Stern & Colwell's (1997b) suggestion.