An Outer Planet Beyond Pluto and Origin of the Trans-Neptunian Belt Architecture

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new model involving an outer planet of tenths of Earth's mass to explain the orbital structure and features of the trans-Neptunian belt, aligning well with observations and offering testable predictions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel scenario where an outer planet influences the trans-Neptunian belt's formation and structure, reproducing observed features in detail.

Findings

Reproduces the orbital distribution of TNOs with high accuracy

Explains the belt's mass and truncation at ~48 AU

Predicts the existence of an outer planet with specific orbital characteristics

Abstract

Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) are remnants of a collisionally and dynamically evolved planetesimal disk in the outer solar system. This complex structure, known as the trans-Neptunian belt (or Edgeworth-Kuiper belt), can reveal important clues about disk properties, planet formation, and other evolutionary processes. In contrast to the predictions of accretion theory, TNOs exhibit surprisingly large eccentricities, e, and inclinations, i, which can be grouped into distinct dynamical classes. Several models have addressed the origin and orbital evolution of TNOs, but none have reproduced detailed observations, e.g., all dynamical classes and peculiar objects, or provided insightful predictions. Based on extensive simulations of planetesimal disks with the presence of the four giant planets and massive planetesimals, we propose that the orbital history of an outer planet with tenths of Earth's mass can explain the trans-Neptunian belt orbital structure. This massive body was likely scattered by one of the giant planets, which then stirred the primordial planetesimal disk to the levels observed at 40-50 AU and truncated it at about 48 AU before planet migration. The outer planet later acquired an inclined stable orbit (>100 AU; 20-40 deg) because of a resonant interaction with Neptune (an r:1 or r:2 resonance possibly coupled with the Kozai mechanism), guaranteeing the stability of the trans-Neptunian belt. Our model consistently reproduces the main features of each dynamical class with unprecedented detail; it also satisfies other constraints such as the current small total mass of the trans-Neptunian belt and Neptune's current orbit at 30.1 AU. We also provide observationally testable predictions.