arXiv subjects

Hsing Wen Lin

Publications and source records attributed to Hsing Wen Lin.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

Tuning the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Observing Strategy for Solar System Science

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is expected to start the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) in early to mid-2025. This multi-band wide-field synoptic survey will transform our view of the solar system, with the discovery and monitoring of over 5 million small bodies.The final survey strategy chosen for LSST has direct implications on the discoverability and characterization of solar system minor planets and passing interstellar objects. Creating an inventory of the solar system is one of the four main LSST science drivers. The LSST observing cadence is a complex optimization problem that must balance the priorities and needs of all the key LSST science areas. To design the best LSST survey strategy, a series of operation simulations using the Rubin Observatory scheduler have been generated to explore the various options for tuning observing parameters and prioritizations. We explore the impact of the various simulated LSST observing strategies on studying the solar system's small body reservoirs. We examine what are the best observing scenarios and review what are the important considerations for maximizing LSST solar system science. In general, most of the LSST cadence simulations produce +/-5% or less variations in our chosen key metrics, but a subset of the simulations significantly hinder science returns with much larger losses in the discovery and light curve metrics.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

Photometric Properties of Jupiter Trojans detected by the Dark Energy Survey

The Jupiter Trojans are a large group of asteroids that are co-orbiting with Jupiter near its L4 and L5 Lagrange points. The study of Jupiter Trojans is crucial for testing different models of planet formation that are directly related to our understanding of solar system evolution. In this work, we select known Jupiter Trojans listed by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) from the full six years dataset (Y6) of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) to analyze their photometric properties. The DES data allow us to study Jupiter Trojans with a fainter magnitude limit than previous studies in a homogeneous survey with $griz$ band measurements. We extract a final catalog of 573 unique Jupiter Trojans. Our sample include 547 asteroids belonging to L5. This is one of the largest analyzed samples for this group. By comparing with the data reported by other surveys we found that the color distribution of L5 Trojans is similar to that of L4 Trojans. We find that L5 Trojans' $g - i$ and $g - r$ colors become less red with fainter absolute magnitudes, a trend also seen in L4 Trojans. Both the L4 and L5 clouds consistently show such a color-size correlation over an absolute magnitude range $11 < H < 18$. We also use DES colors to perform taxonomic classifications. C and P-type asteroids outnumber D-type asteroids in the L5 Trojans DES sample, which have diameters in the 5 - 20 km range. This is consistent with the color-size correlation.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2022

A Collision Mechanism for the Removal of Earth's Trojan Asteroids

Due to their strong resonances with their host planet, Trojan asteroids can remain in stable orbits for billions of years. As a result, they are powerful probes for constraining the dynamical and chemical history of the solar system. Although we have detected thousands of Jupiter Trojans and dozens of Neptune Trojans, there are currently no known long-term stable Earth Trojans. Dynamical simulations show that the parameter space for stable Earth Trojans in substantial, so their apparent absence poses a mystery. This work uses a large ensemble of N-body simulations to explore how the Trojan population dynamically responds if Earth suffers large collisions, such as those thought to have occurred to form the Moon and/or to have given Earth its Late Veneer. We show that such collisions can be highly disruptive to the primordial Trojan population, and could have eliminated it altogether. More specifically, if Earth acquired the final 1\% of its mass through ${\cal O}(10)$ collisions, then only $\sim1\%$ of the previously bound Trojan population would remain.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2021

No Evidence for Orbital Clustering in the Extreme Trans-Neptunian Objects

The apparent clustering in longitude of perihelion $\varpi$ and ascending node $Ω$ of extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs) has been attributed to the gravitational effects of an unseen 5-10 Earth-mass planet in the outer solar system. To investigate how selection bias may contribute to this clustering, we consider 14 ETNOs discovered by the Dark Energy Survey, the Outer Solar System Origins Survey, and the survey of Sheppard and Trujillo. Using each survey's published pointing history, depth, and TNO tracking selections, we calculate the joint probability that these objects are consistent with an underlying parent population with uniform distributions in $\varpi$ and $Ω$. We find that the mean scaled longitude of perihelion and orbital poles of the detected ETNOs are consistent with a uniform population at a level between $17\%$ and $94\%$, and thus conclude that this sample provides no evidence for angular clustering.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2021

OSSOS: The Eccentricity and Inclination Distributions of the Stable Neptunian Trojans

The minor planets on orbits that are dynamically stable in Neptune's 1:1 resonance on Gyr timescales were likely emplaced by Neptune's outward migration. We explore the intrinsic libration amplitude, eccentricity, and inclination distribution of Neptune's stable Trojans, using the detections and survey efficiency of the Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS) and Pan-STARRS1. We find that the libration amplitude of the stable Neptunian Trojan population can be well modeled as a Rayleigh distribution with a libration amplitude width $σ_{A_phi}$ of 15$^\circ$. When taken as a whole, the Neptune Trojan population can be acceptably modeled with a Rayleigh eccentricity distribution of width $σ_e$ of 0.045 and a typical sin(i) x Gaussian inclination distribution with a width $σ_i$ of 14 +/- 2 degrees. However, these distributions are only marginally acceptable. This is likely because, even after accounting for survey detection biases, the known large Hr < 8 and small Hr >= 8 Neptune Trojans appear to have markedly different eccentricities and inclinations. We propose that like the classical Kuiper belt, the stable intrinsic Neptunian Trojan population have dynamically `hot' and dynamically `cold' components to its eccentricity/inclination distribution, with $σ_{e-cold}$ ~ 0.02 / $σ_{i-cold}$ ~ 6$^\circ$ and $σ_{e-hot}$~ 0.05 / $σ_{i-hot}$ ~ 18$^\circ$. In this scenario, the `cold' L4 Neptunian Trojan population lacks the Hr >= 8 members and has 13 +11/-6 `cold' Trojans with Hr < 8. On the other hand, the `hot' L4 Neptunian Trojan population has 136 +57/-48 Trojans with Hr < 10 -- a population 2.4 times greater than that of the L4 Jovian Trojans in the same luminosity range.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2020

Trans-Neptunian objects found in the first four years of the Dark Energy Survey

We present a catalog of 316 trans-Neptunian bodies detected by the Dark Energy Survey (DES). These objects include 245 discoveries by DES (139 not previously published) detected in $\approx 60,000$ exposures from the first four seasons of the survey ("Y4" data). The survey covers a contiguous 5000 deg$^2$ of the southern sky in the $grizY$ optical/NIR filter set, with a typical TNO in this part of the sky being targeted by $25-30$ Y4 exposures. We describe the processes for detection of transient sources and the linkage into TNO orbits, which are made challenging by the absence of the few-hour repeat observations employed by TNO-optimized surveys. We also describe the procedures for determining detection efficiencies vs. magnitude and estimating rates of false-positive linkages. This work presents all TNOs which were detected on $\ge 6$ unique nights in the Y4 data and pass a "sub-threshold confirmation" test wherein we demand the the object be detectable in a stack of the individual images in which the orbit indicates an object should be present, but was not detected. This eliminates false positives and yields TNO detections complete to $r\lesssim 23.3$ mag with virtually no dependence on orbital properties for bound TNOs at distance $30\,{\rm AU} 0.3$ mag more depth, and arcs of $>4$ years for nearly all detections.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2020

Dynamical Classification of Trans-Neptunian Objects Detected by the Dark Energy Survey

The outer Solar System contains a large number of small bodies (known as trans-Neptunian objects or TNOs) that exhibit diverse types of dynamical behavior. The classification of bodies in this distant region into dynamical classes -- sub-populations that experience similar orbital evolution -- aids in our understanding of the structure and formation of the Solar System. In this work, we propose an updated dynamical classification scheme for the outer Solar System. This approach includes the construction of a new (automated) method for identifying mean-motion resonances. We apply this algorithm to the current dataset of TNOs observed by the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and present a working classification for all of the DES TNOs detected to date. Our classification scheme yields 1 inner centaur, 19 outer centaurs, 21 scattering disk objects, 47 detached TNOs, 48 securely resonant objects, 7 resonant candidates, and 97 classical belt objects. Among the scattering and detached objects, we detect 8 TNOs with semi-major axes greater than 150 AU.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2020

Detection of Diatomic Carbon in 2I/Borisov

2I/Borisov is the first-ever observed interstellar comet (and the second detected interstellar object). It was discovered on 30 August 2019 and has a heliocentric orbital eccentricity of ~ 3.35, corresponding to a hyperbolic orbit that is unbound to the Sun. Given that it is an interstellar object, it is of interest to compare its properties -- such as composition and activity -- with the comets in our Solar System. This study reports low-resolution optical spectra of 2I/Borisov. The spectra were obtained by the MDM observatory Hiltner 2.4m telescope/Ohio State Multi-Object Spectrograph (on 1 and 5 November 2019). The wavelength coverage spanned from 3700A to 9200A. The dust continuum reflectance spectra of 2I/Borisov show that the spectral slope is stepper in the blue end of the spectrum (compared to the red). The spectra of 2I/Borisov clearly show CN emission at 3880A, as well as C2 emission at both 4750A and 5150A. Using a Haser model to covert the observed fluxes into estimates for the molecular production rates, we find Q(CN) = 2.4 +/- 0.2 x 10^24 s^-1, and Q(C2) = 5.5 +/- 0.4 x 10^23 s^-1 at the heliocentric distance of 2.145 au. Our Q(CN) estimate is consistent with contemporaneous observations, and the Q(C2) estimate is generally below the upper limits of previous studies. We derived the ratio Q(C2)/Q(CN) = 0.2 +/- 0.1, which indicates that 2I/Borisov is depleted in carbon chain species, but is not empty. This feature is not rare for the comets in our Solar System, especially in the class of Jupiter Family Comets.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2019

Towards Efficient Detection of Small Near-Earth Asteroids Using the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF)

We describe ZStreak, a semi-real-time pipeline specialized in detecting small, fast-moving near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that is currently operating on the data from the newly-commissioned Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) survey. Based on a prototype originally developed by Waszczak et al. (2017) for the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF), the predecessor of ZTF, ZStreak features an improved machine-learning model that can cope with the $10\times$ data rate increment between PTF and ZTF. Since its first discovery on 2018 February 5 (2018 CL), ZTF/ZStreak has discovered $45$ confirmed new NEAs over a total of 232 observable nights until 2018 December 31. Most of the discoveries are small NEAs, with diameters less than $\sim100$ m. By analyzing the discovery circumstances, we find that objects having the first to last detection time interval under 2 hr are at risk of being lost. We will further improve real-time follow-up capabilities, and work on suppressing false positives using deep learning.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2019

The Zwicky Transient Facility: System Overview, Performance, and First Results

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is a new optical time-domain survey that uses the Palomar 48-inch Schmidt telescope. A custom-built wide-field camera provides a 47 deg$^2$ field of view and 8 second readout time, yielding more than an order of magnitude improvement in survey speed relative to its predecessor survey, the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF). We describe the design and implementation of the camera and observing system. The ZTF data system at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center provides near-real-time reduction to identify moving and varying objects. We outline the analysis pipelines, data products, and associated archive. Finally, we present on-sky performance analysis and first scientific results from commissioning and the early survey. ZTF's public alert stream will serve as a useful precursor for that of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2019

Machine Learning for the Zwicky Transient Facility

The Zwicky Transient Facility is a large optical survey in multiple filters producing hundreds of thousands of transient alerts per night. We describe here various machine learning (ML) implementations and plans to make the maximal use of the large data set by taking advantage of the temporal nature of the data, and further combining it with other data sets. We start with the initial steps of separating bogus candidates from real ones, separating stars and galaxies, and go on to the classification of real objects into various classes. Besides the usual methods (e.g., based on features extracted from light curves) we also describe early plans for alternate methods including the use of domain adaptation, and deep learning. In a similar fashion we describe efforts to detect fast moving asteroids. We also describe the use of the Zooniverse platform for helping with classifications through the creation of training samples, and active learning. Finally we mention the synergistic aspects of ZTF and LSST from the ML perspective.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2019

The Zwicky Transient Facility: Science Objectives

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), a public-private enterprise, is a new time domain survey employing a dedicated camera on the Palomar 48-inch Schmidt telescope with a 47 deg$^2$ field of view and 8 second readout time. It is well positioned in the development of time domain astronomy, offering operations at 10% of the scale and style of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) with a single 1-m class survey telescope. The public surveys will cover the observable northern sky every three nights in g and r filters and the visible Galactic plane every night in g and r. Alerts generated by these surveys are sent in real time to brokers. A consortium of universities which provided funding ("partnership") are undertaking several boutique surveys. The combination of these surveys producing one million alerts per night allows for exploration of transient and variable astrophysical phenomena brighter than r $\sim$ 20.5 on timescales of minutes to years. We describe the primary science objectives driving ZTF including the physics of supernovae and relativistic explosions, multi-messenger astrophysics, supernova cosmology, active galactic nuclei and tidal disruption events, stellar variability, and Solar System objects.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2018

Evidence for Color Dichotomy in the Primordial Neptunian Trojan Population

In the current model of early Solar System evolution, the stable members of the Jovian and Neptunian Trojan populations were captured into resonance from the leftover reservoir of planetesimals during the outward migration of the giant planets. As a result, both Jovian and Neptunian Trojans share a common origin with the primordial disk population, whose other surviving members constitute today's trans-Neptunian object (TNO) populations. The cold classical TNOs are ultra-red, while the dynamically excited "hot" population of TNOs contains a mixture of ultra-red and blue objects. In contrast, Jovian and Neptunian Trojans are observed to be blue. While the absence of ultra-red Jovian Trojans can be readily explained by the sublimation of volatile material from their surfaces due to the high flux of solar radiation at 5AU, the lack of ultra-red Neptunian Trojans presents both a puzzle and a challenge to formation models. In this work we report the discovery by the Dark Energy Survey (DES) of two new dynamically stable L4 Neptunian Trojans,2013 VX30 and 2014 UU240, both with inclinations i >30 degrees, making them the highest-inclination known stable Neptunian Trojans. We have measured the colors of these and three other dynamically stable Neptunian Trojans previously observed by DES, and find that 2013 VX30 is ultra-red, the first such Neptunian Trojan in its class. As such, 2013 VX30 may be a "missing link" between the Trojan and TNO populations. Using a simulation of the DES TNO detection efficiency, we find that there are 162 +/- 73 Trojans with Hr < 10 at the L4 Lagrange point of Neptune. Moreover, the blue-to-red Neptunian Trojan population ratio should be higher than 17:1. Based on this result, we discuss the possible origin of the ultra-red Neptunian Trojan population and its implications for the formation history of Neptunian Trojans.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2018

Dynamical Analysis of Three Distant Trans-Neptunian Objects with Similar Orbits

This paper reports the discovery and orbital characterization of two extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs), 2016 QV$_{89}$ and 2016 QU$_{89}$, which have orbits that appear similar to that of a previously known object, 2013 UH$_{15}$. All three ETNOs have semi-major axes $a\approx 172$ AU and eccentricities $e\approx0.77$. The angular elements $(i,ω,Ω)$ vary by 6, 15, and 49 deg, respectively between the three objects. The two new objects add to the small number of TNOs currently known to have semi-major axes between 150 and 250 AU, and serve as an interesting dynamical laboratory to study the outer realm of our Solar System. Using a large ensemble of numerical integrations, we find that the orbits are expected to reside in close proximity in the $(a,e)$ phase plane for roughly 100 Myr before diffusing to more separated values. We then explore other scenarios that could influence their orbits. With aphelion distances over 300 AU, the orbits of these ETNOs extend far beyond the classical Kuiper Belt, and an order of magnitude beyond Neptune. As a result, their orbital dynamics can be affected by the proposed new Solar System member, referred to as Planet Nine in this work. With perihelion distances of 35-40 AU, these orbits are also influenced by resonant interactions with Neptune. A full assessment of any possible, new Solar System planets must thus take into account this emerging class of TNOs.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2018

Discovery and Dynamical Analysis of an Extreme Trans-Neptunian Object with a High Orbital Inclination

We report the discovery and dynamical analysis of 2015 BP$_{519}$, an extreme Trans-Neptunian Object detected detected by the Dark Energy Survey at a heliocentric distance of 55 AU and absolute magnitude Hr= 4.3. The current orbit, determined from a 1110-day observational arc, has semi-major axis $a\approx$ 450 AU, eccentricity $e\approx$ 0.92 and inclination $i\approx$ 54 degrees. With these orbital elements, 2015 BP$_{519}$ is the most extreme TNO discovered to date, as quantified by the reduced Kozai action, which is is a conserved quantity at fixed semi-major axis $a$ for axisymmetric perturbations. We discuss the orbital stability and evolution of this object in the context of the known Solar System, and find that 2015 BP$_{519}$ displays rich dynamical behavior, including rapid diffusion in semi-major axis and more constrained variations in eccentricity and inclination. We also consider the long term orbital stability and evolutionary behavior within the context of the Planet Nine Hypothesis, and find that BP$_{519}$ adds to the circumstantial evidence for the existence of this proposed new member of the Solar System, as it would represent the first member of the population of high-i, $\varpi$-shepherded TNOs.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2018

OSSOS. VII. 800+ trans-Neptunian objects - the complete data release

The Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS), a wide-field imaging program in 2013-2017 with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, surveyed 155 deg$^{2}$ of sky to depths of $m_r = 24.1$-25.2. We present 838 outer Solar System discoveries that are entirely free of ephemeris bias. This increases the inventory of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) with accurately known orbits by nearly 50%. Each minor planet has 20-60 Gaia/Pan-STARRS-calibrated astrometric measurements made over 2-5 oppositions, which allows accurate classification of their orbits within the trans-Neptunian dynamical populations. The populations orbiting in mean-motion resonance with Neptune are key to understanding Neptune's early migration. Our 313 resonant TNOs, including 132 plutinos, triple the available characterized sample and include new occupancy of distant resonances out to semi-major axis $a \sim 130$ au. OSSOS doubles the known population of the non-resonant Kuiper belt, providing 436 TNOs in this region, all with exceptionally high-quality orbits of $a$ uncertainty $σ_{a} \leq 0.1\%$; they show the belt exists from $a \gtrsim 37$ au, with a lower perihelion bound of $35$ au. We confirm the presence of a concentrated low-inclination $a\simeq 44$ au "kernel" population and a dynamically cold population extending beyond the 2:1 resonance. We finely quantify the survey's observational biases. Our survey simulator provides a straightforward way to impose these biases on models of the trans-Neptunian orbit distributions, allowing statistical comparison to the discoveries. The OSSOS TNOs, unprecedented in their orbital precision for the size of the sample, are ideal for testing concepts of the history of giant planet migration in the Solar System.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2018

OSSOS IX: two objects in Neptune's 9:1 resonance -- implications for resonance sticking in the scattering population

We discuss the detection in the Outer Solar System Origins Survey (OSSOS) of two objects in Neptune's distant 9:1 mean motion resonance at semimajor axis $a\approx~130$~au. Both objects are securely resonant on 10~Myr timescales, with one securely in the 9:1 resonance's leading asymmetric libration island and the other in either the symmetric or trailing asymmetric island. These objects are the largest semimajor axis objects with secure resonant classifications, and their detection in a carefully characterized survey allows for the first robust resonance population estimate beyond 100~au. The detection of these objects implies a 9:1 resonance population of $1.1\times10^4$ objects with $H_r<8.66$ ($D~\gtrsim~100$~km) on similar orbits (95\% confidence range of $\sim0.4-3\times10^4$). Integrations over 4~Gyr of an ensemble of clones spanning these objects' orbit fit uncertainties reveal that they both have median resonance occupation timescales of $\sim1$~Gyr. These timescales are consistent with the hypothesis that these objects originate in the scattering population but became transiently stuck to Neptune's 9:1 resonance within the last $\sim1$~Gyr of solar system evolution. Based on simulations of a model of the current scattering population, we estimate the expected resonance sticking population in the 9:1 resonance to be 1000-4500 objects with $H_r<8.66$; this is marginally consistent with the OSSOS 9:1 population estimate. We conclude that resonance sticking is a plausible explanation for the observed 9:1 population, but we also discuss the possibility of a primordial 9:1 population, which would have interesting implications for the Kuiper belt's dynamical history.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2017

A dwarf planet class object in the 21:5 resonance with Neptune

We report the discovery of a $H_r = 3.4\pm0.1$ dwarf planet candidate by the Pan-STARRS Outer Solar System Survey. 2010 JO$_{179}$ is red with $(g-r)=0.88 \pm 0.21$, roughly round, and slowly rotating, with a period of $30.6$ hr. Estimates of its albedo imply a diameter of 600--900~km. Observations sampling the span between 2005--2016 provide an exceptionally well-determined orbit for 2010 JO$_{179}$, with a semi-major axis of $78.307\pm0.009$ au, distant orbits known to this precision are rare. We find that 2010 JO$_{179}$ librates securely within the 21:5 mean-motion resonance with Neptune on hundred-megayear time scales, joining the small but growing set of known distant dwarf planets on metastable resonant orbits. These imply a substantial trans-Neptunian population that shifts between stability in high-order resonances, the detached population, and the eroding population of the scattering disk.

astro-ph.EP↗