Bounds on dark matter in solar orbit

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167614· OSTI ID:5398250

Anderson, J D; Lau, E L; Taylor, A H; Dicus, D A; Teplitz, D C ^[1]

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1. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (USA)

The possibility is considered that a spherical distribution of dark matter (DM), matter not visible with current instruments, is trapped in the sun's gravitational field. Bounds are placed from the motion of Uranus and Neptune, on the amount of DM that could be so trapped within the radius of those planets' orbits, as follows: from the Voyager 2, Uranus-flyby data new, more accurate ephemeris values are generated. Trapped DM mass is bounded by noting that such a distribution would increase the effective mass of the sun as seen by the outer planets and by using the new ephemeris values to bound such an increase. 34 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5398250
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Vol. 342; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
SOLAR SYSTEM
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
NEPTUNE PLANET
ORBITS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
URANUS PLANET
VOYAGER SPACE PROBES
DISTRIBUTION
PLANETS
SPACE VEHICLES
VEHICLES
640104* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Solar Phenomena