2001/04/30 by Chadwick A. Trujillo, David Jewitt, David C. Jewitt +2 · 4 citations
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrometry #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Distribution (mathematics) #Ecliptic #Gaussian #Geodesy #Geography #Mathematical analysis #Mathematics #Physics #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Telescope #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/321117
To be published in the Astronomical Journal, July 2001
arxiv created 2001/05/07 · openalex publication_date 2001/07/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We present the results of a wide-field survey designed to measure the size, inclination, and radial distributions of Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs). The survey found 86 KBOs in 73 deg 2 observed to limiting red magnitude of 23.7 using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and the 12K × 8K CCD mosaic camera. For the first time, both ecliptic and off-ecliptic fields were examined to more accurately constrain the inclination distribution of the KBOs. The survey data were processed using an automatic moving-object detection algorithm, allowing a careful characterization of the biases involved. In this work, we quantify fundamental parameters of the classical KBOs (CKBOs), the most numerous objects found in our sample, using the new data and a maximum likelihood simulation. Deriving results from our best-fit model, we find that the size distribution follows a differential power law with exponent q = 4.0 (1 σ, or 68.27% confidence). In addition, the CKBOs inhabit a very thick disk consistent with a Gaussian distribution of inclinations with a half-width of i 1/2 = 20 deg (1 σ). We estimate that there are N CKBO ( D > 100 km) = 3.8 × 10 4 (1 σ) CKBOs larger than 100 km in diameter. We also find compelling evidence for an outer edge to the CKBOs at heliocentric distances R = 50 AU.