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arXiv · 1308.1156

Modeling the Migration of Neptune and the Corresponding Resonant Captures

Li-Chin Yeh·Ing-Guey Jiang·Li-Yong Zhou
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Abstract

Due to the angular momentum exchange with planetesimals, Neptune might have migrated outward to the current position, and captured many Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) into resonances. We set up a semi-analytic model to simulate the outward migration of Neptune, and the processes of resonant captures. Our model can naturally explain Neptune's currently observed semi-major axis and eccentricity. The results show that the current population ratio between 3:2 and 2:1 is mainly due to the original density distribution of KBOs, which might be related to drag-induced inward migrations of proto-KBOs.

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Li-Chin Yeh, Ing-Guey Jiang, Li-Yong Zhou. 2013-08-06. Modeling the Migration of Neptune and the Corresponding Resonant Captures. https://arxiv.org/abs/1308.1156

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