Exploring the 7:4 mean motion resonance—II: Scattering evolutionary paths and resonance sticking

Abstract

In our preliminary study, we have investigated basic properties and dynamical evolution of classical TNOs around the 7:4 mean motion resonance with Neptune ( a∼43.7 AU), motivated by observational evidences that apparently present irregular features near this resonance (see [Lykawka and Mukai, 2005a. Exploring the 7:4 mean motion resonance—I. Dynamical evolution of classical trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). Space Planet. Sci. 53, 1175–1187]; hereafter “Paper I”). In this paper, we aim to explore the dynamical long-term evolution in the scattered disk (but not its early formation) based on the computer simulations performed in Paper I together with extra computations. Specifically, we integrated the orbital motion of test particles (totalizing a bit more than 10,000) placed around the 7:4 mean motion resonance under the effect of the four giant planets for the age of the Solar System. In order to investigate chaotic diffusion, we also conducted a special simulation with on-line computation of proper elements following tracks in phase space over 4–5 Gyr. We found that: (1) A few percent (1–2%) of the test particles survived in the scattered disk with direct influence of other Neptunian mean motion resonances, indicating that resonance sticking is an extremely common phenomenon and that it helps to enhance scattered objects longevity. (2) In the same region, the so-called extended scattered TNOs are able to form via very long resonance trapping under certain conditions. Namely, if the body spends more than about 80% of its dynamical lifetime trapped in mean motion resonance(s) and there is the action of a k+1 or ( k+2)/2 mean motion resonance (e.g., external mean motion resonances with Neptune described as ( j + k ) / j with j = 1 and 2 , respectively). According to this hypothetical mechanism, 5–15% of current scattered TNOs would possess q > 4 0 AU thus probably constituting a significant part of the extended scattered disk. (3) Moreover, considering hot orbital initial conditions, it is likely that the trans-Neptunian belt (or Edgeworth–Kuiper belt) has been providing members to the scattered disk, so that scattered TNOs observed today would consist of primordial scattered bodies mixed with TNOs that came from unstable regions of the trans-Neptunian belt in the past. Considering the three points together, our results demonstrated that the scattered disk has been evolving continuously since early times until present.