<b>Abstract</b>— <p>Methods for estimating the age of pairs of trans-Neptunian objects were studied: analysis of convergence of lines of nodes and lines of apsides, and analysis of minima of the Kholshevnikov metric. A simulation of the probabilistic evolution of model pairs of trans-Neptunian objects aged 1 Myr and 10&#xa0;Myr was performed. The errors in determining the age of pairs were obtained with different accuracy of orbit determination. About 10% of trans-Neptunian objects have orbital accuracy sufficient to estimate the age of pairs at intervals of 2 and 15 Myr. The error in age determination can reach 0.7 Myr in the 2-Myr interval and 4.5 Myr in the 15‑Myr interval. For about 50% of trans-Neptunian objects whose orbits are determined with typical accuracy, with a pair age of 10 Myr, the age estimate error can be comparable to the determined value. Applying the methods to the remaining fraction of trans-Neptunian objects whose orbits are determined with low accuracy may yield unreliable results, and the error may exceed the determined value.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Accuracy of Methods for Estimating the Age of Pairs of Trans-Neptunian Objects in Close Orbits

  • V. D. Gusev,
  • E. D. Kuznetsov

摘要

Abstract

Methods for estimating the age of pairs of trans-Neptunian objects were studied: analysis of convergence of lines of nodes and lines of apsides, and analysis of minima of the Kholshevnikov metric. A simulation of the probabilistic evolution of model pairs of trans-Neptunian objects aged 1 Myr and 10 Myr was performed. The errors in determining the age of pairs were obtained with different accuracy of orbit determination. About 10% of trans-Neptunian objects have orbital accuracy sufficient to estimate the age of pairs at intervals of 2 and 15 Myr. The error in age determination can reach 0.7 Myr in the 2-Myr interval and 4.5 Myr in the 15‑Myr interval. For about 50% of trans-Neptunian objects whose orbits are determined with typical accuracy, with a pair age of 10 Myr, the age estimate error can be comparable to the determined value. Applying the methods to the remaining fraction of trans-Neptunian objects whose orbits are determined with low accuracy may yield unreliable results, and the error may exceed the determined value.