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外文期刊>The Astrophysical journal
>COAGULATION CALCULATIONS OF ICY PLANET FORMATION AT 15-150?AU: A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM RADIUS AND THE SLOPE OF THE SIZE DISTRIBUTION FOR TRANS-NEPTUNIAN OBJECTS
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COAGULATION CALCULATIONS OF ICY PLANET FORMATION AT 15-150?AU: A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM RADIUS AND THE SLOPE OF THE SIZE DISTRIBUTION FOR TRANS-NEPTUNIAN OBJECTS
We investigate whether coagulation models of planet formation can explain the observed size distributions of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). Analyzing published and new calculations, we demonstrate robust relations between the size of the largest object and the slope of the size distribution for sizes 0.1?km and larger. These relations yield clear, testable predictions for TNOs and other icy objects throughout the solar system. Applying our results to existing observations, we show that a broad range of initial disk masses, planetesimal sizes, and fragmentation parameters can explain the data. Adding dynamical constraints on the initial semimajor axis of "hot" Kuiper Belt objects along with probable TNO formation times of 10-700?Myr restricts the viable models to those with a massive disk composed of relatively small (1-10?km) planetesimals.
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