Dynamical determination of the Kuiper Belt's mass from motions of the inner planets of the Solar System

TL;DR

This study estimates the Kuiper Belt's mass using planetary motion data, finding values consistent with recent optical observations, and discusses implications for testing gravity theories.

Contribution

It introduces a dynamical method to determine the Kuiper Belt's mass from inner planet motions, providing new estimates aligned with recent observational data.

Findings

Kuiper Belt mass estimate: 0.033 +/- 0.115 terrestrial masses

Resonant Kuiper Belt mass estimate: 0.018 +/- 0.063 terrestrial masses

Results are consistent with optical observational techniques

Abstract

In this paper we dynamically determine the mass of the Kuiper Belt Objects by exploiting the latest observational determinations of the orbital motions of the inner planets of the Solar System. Our result, in units of terrestrial masses, is 0.033 +/- 0.115 by modelling the Classical Kuiper Belt Objects as an ecliptic ring of finite thickness. A two-rings model yields for the Resonant Kuiper Belt Objects a value of 0.018 +/- 0.063. Such figures are consistent with recent determinations obtained with ground and space-based optical techniques. Some implications for precise tests of Einsteinian and post-Einsteinian gravity are briefly discussed.