A Collisional Family in the Classical Kuiper Belt

The dynamical evolution of Classical Kuiper Belt Objects (CKBOs) divides into two parts, according to the secular theory of test particle orbits. The first part is a forced oscillation driven by the planets, while the second part is a free oscillation whose amplitude is determined by the initial orbit of the test particle. We extract the free orbital inclinations and free orbital eccentricities from the osculating elements of 125 known CKBOs. The free inclinations of 32 CKBOs strongly cluster about 2 degrees at orbital semi-major axes between 44 and 45 AU. We propose that these objects comprise a collisional family, the first so identified in the Kuiper Belt. Members of this family are plausibly the fragments of an ancient parent body having a minimum diameter of \~800 km. This body was disrupted upon colliding with a comparably sized object, and generated ejecta having similar free inclinations. Our candidate family is dynamically akin to a sub-family of Koronis asteroids located at semi-major axes less than 2.91 AU; both families exhibit a wider range in free eccentricity than in free inclination, implying that the relative velocity between parent and projectile prior to impact lay mostly in the invariable plane of the solar system. We urge more discoveries of new CKBOs to test the reality of our candidate family and physical studies of candidate family members to probe the heretofore unseen interior of a massive, primitive planetesimal.Comment: final revised version, accepted to ApJ Letters, includes minor caveat regarding Koronis asteroid famil

The Minimum-Mass Extrasolar Nebula: In-Situ Formation of Close-In Super-Earths

Close-in super-Earths, with radii R = 2-5 R_Earth and orbital periods P < 100 days, orbit more than half, and perhaps nearly all Sun-like stars in the universe. We use this omnipresent population to construct the minimum-mass extrasolar nebula (MMEN), the circumstellar disk of solar-composition solids and gas from which such planets formed, if they formed near their current locations and did not migrate. In a series of back-of-the-envelope calculations, we demonstrate how in-situ formation in the MMEN is fast, efficient, and can reproduce many of the observed properties of close-in super-Earths, including their gas-to-rock fractions. Testable predictions are discussed.Comment: Accepted to MNRAS 2013 March

Eccentricity Excitation and Apsidal Resonance Capture in the Planetary System Upsilon Andromedae

The orbits of the outer two known planets orbiting Upsilon Andromedae are remarkably eccentric. Planet C possesses an orbital eccentricity of e1 = 0.253. For the more distant planet D, e2 = 0.308. Previous dynamical analyses strongly suggest that the two orbits are nearly co-planar and are trapped in an apsidal resonance in which the difference between their longitudes of periastron undergoes a bounded oscillation about 0 degrees. Here we elucidate the origin of these large eccentricities and of the apsidal alignment. Resonant interactions between a remnant circumstellar disk of gas lying exterior to the orbits of both planets can smoothly grow e2. Secular interactions between planets D and C can siphon off the eccentricity of the former to grow that of the latter. Externally amplifying e2 during the phase of the apsidal oscillation when e2/e1 is smallest drives the oscillation amplitude towards zero. Thus, the substantial eccentricity of planet C and the locking of orbital apsides are both consequences of externally pumping the eccentricity of planet D over timescales exceeding apsidal precession periods of order 1e4 yr. We explain why the recently detected stellar companion to Upsilon Andromedae is largely dynamically decoupled from the planetary system.Comment: accepted to Ap

Spectral Energy Distributions of Passive T Tauri Disks: Inclination

We compute spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for passive T Tauri disks viewed at arbitrary inclinations. Semi-analytic models of disks in radiative and hydrostatic equilibrium are employed. Over viewing angles for which the flared disk does not occult the central star, the SED varies negligibly with inclination. For such aspects, the SED shortward of ~80 microns is particularly insensitive to orientation, since short wavelength disk emission is dominated by superheated surface layers which are optically thin. The SED of a nearly edge-on disk is that of a class I source. The outer disk occults inner disk regions, and emission shortward of ~30 microns is dramatically extinguished. Spectral features from dust grains may appear in absorption. However, millimeter wavelength fluxes decrease by at most a factor of 2 from face-on to edge-on orientations. We present illustrative applications of our SED models. The class I source 04108+2803B is considered a T Tauri star hidden from view by an inclined circumstellar disk. Fits to its observed SED yield model-dependent values for the disk mass of ~0.015 solar masses and a disk inclination of ~65 degrees relative to face-on. The class II source GM Aur represents a T Tauri star unobscured by its circumstellar disk. Fitted parameters include a disk mass of \~0.050 solar masses and an inclination of ~60 degrees.Comment: Accepted to ApJ, 20 pages, 7 figures, aaspp4.st

On the Plutinos and Twotinos of the Kuiper Belt

We illuminate dynamical properties of Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) in the 3:2 (``Plutino'') and 2:1 (``Twotino'') Neptunian resonances within the model of resonant capture and migration. We analyze a series of numerical integrations, each involving the 4 migratory giant planets and 400 test particles distributed throughout trans-Neptunian space, to measure efficiencies of capture as functions of migration speed. Snapshots of the spatial distribution of resonant KBOs reveal that Twotinos cluster +/- 75 degrees away from Neptune's longitude, while Plutinos cluster +/- 90 degrees away. Longitudinal clustering persists even for surveys that are not volume-limited in their ability to detect resonant KBOs. Remarkably, between -90 degrees and -60 degrees of Neptune's longitude, we find the sky density of Twotinos to nearly equal that of Plutinos, despite the greater average distance of Twotinos. We couple our findings to observations to crudely estimate that the intrinsic Twotino population is within a factor of 3 of the Plutino population. Most strikingly, the migration model predicts that more Twotinos may lie at longitudes behind that of Neptune than ahead of it. The magnitude of the asymmetry amplifies dramatically with faster rates of migration and can be as large as 300%. A differential measurement of the sky density of 2:1 resonant objects behind of and in front of Neptune's longitude would powerfully constrain the migration history of that planet.Comment: AJ, in press, to appear in December 2002 issue. For version with higher resolution figures, see http://astron.berkeley.edu/~echiang/ppp/ppp.htm

Holographic Duals of Black Holes in Five-dimensional Minimal Supergravity

We examine the dual conformal field theory for extremal charged black holes in five-dimensional minimal supergravity with 2 independent angular momenta. The conformal field theory Virasoro algebra, central charge, and temperature are calculated. Additionally the conformal field theory entropy is calculated using the Cardy formula and agrees with the Bekenstein-Hawking black hole entropy. The central charges are directly proportional to the angular momentum components of the black hole. In five and higher dimensions, rotations of the spacetime correspond to rotations of the central charges leading to an apparent symmetry relating the conformal field theories dual to each black hole. A rotationally invariant central charge, which is proportional to the total angular momentum, is used to discuss the supersymmetric BMPV black hole limits.Comment: inaccurate descriptions are clarifie

Unitary chiral dynamics in J/ΨJ/\Psi decays into VPPVPP and the role of the scalar mesons

We make a theoretical study of the \J decays into $\omega\pi\pi$, $\phi\pi\pi$, $\omega K \bar{K}$ and $\phi K\bar{K}$ using the techniques of the chiral unitary approach stressing the important role of the scalar resonances dynamically generated through the final state interaction of the two pseudoscalar mesons. We also discuss the importance of new mechanisms with intermediate exchange of vector and axial-vector mesons and the role played by the OZI rule in the \J\phi\pi\pi vertex, quantifying its effects. The results nicely reproduce the experimental data for the invariant mass distributions in all the channels considered.Comment: Prepared for the 10th International Symposium on Meson-Nucleon Physics and the Structure of the Nucleo

Keck Pencil-Beam Survey for Faint Kuiper Belt Objects

We present the results of a pencil-beam survey of the Kuiper Belt using the Keck 10-m telescope. A single 0.01 square degree field is imaged 29 times for a total integration time of 4.8 hr. Combining exposures in software allows the detection of Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) having visual magnitude V < 27.9. Two new KBOs are discovered. One object having V = 25.5 lies at a probable heliocentric distance d = 33 AU. The second object at V = 27.2 is located at d = 44 AU. Both KBOs have diameters of about 50 km, assuming comet-like albedos of 4%. Data from all surveys are pooled to construct the luminosity function from red magnitude R = 20 to 27. The cumulative number of objects per square degree, N (< R), is fitted to a power law of the form log_(10) N = 0.52 (R - 23.5). Differences between power laws reported in the literature are due mainly to which survey data are incorporated, and not to the method of fitting. The luminosity function is consistent with a power-law size distribution for objects having diameters s = 50 to 500 km; dn ~ s^(-q) ds, where the differential size index q = 3.6 +/- 0.1. The distribution is such that the smallest objects possess most of the surface area, but the largest bodies contain the bulk of the mass. Though our inferred size index nearly matches that derived by Dohnanyi (1969), it is unknown whether catastrophic collisions are responsible for shaping the size distribution. Implications of the absence of detections of classical KBOs beyond 50 AU are discussed.Comment: Accepted to AJ. Final proof-edited version: references added, discussion of G98 revised in sections 4.3 and 5.