The origin of short-period comets

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (343) References (19) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS The Origin of Short-Period Comets Duncan, M. ; Quinn, T. ; Tremaine, S. Abstract The authors present the key results of an extensive series of numerical simulations of the evolution of comet orbits due to the gravitational perturbations of the giant planets. The results show that the inclination distribution of comets with large perihelion (q ≤ 30 AU) that evolve to observable comets (i.e., those with q ≤ 1.5 AU) is approximately preserved. Thus, the short-period (SP) comets, which are mostly in prograde, low-inclination orbits, cannot arise from gravitational scattering of any spherical population of comets (such as the Oort cloud). However, the distribution of orbital elements of SP comets arising from a population of low-inclination Neptune-crossing comets is in excellent agreement with observations. It is concluded that the SP comets arise from a cometary belt in the outer solar system. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: May 1988 DOI: 10.1086/185162 Bibcode: 1988ApJ...328L..69D Keywords: Comets; Gas Giant Planets; Orbital Elements; Astronomical Models; Gravitational Effects; COMETS; SHORT-PERIOD COMETS; ORIGIN; NUMERICAL METHODS; SIMULATIONS; EVOLUTION; ORBITS; GRAVITY EFFECTS; PERTURBATIONS; DISTRIBUTION; SCATTERING; SOURCE; ORBITAL ELEMENTS; INCLINATION; NEPTUNE-CROSSERS; PROCEDURE; OORT CLOUD; POSITION (LOCATION); NEPTUNE; ANALYSIS; Astrophysics; Comets; COMETS; SOLAR SYSTEM: GENERAL full text sources ADS |