Passage of a ''Nemesis''-like object through the planetary system

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Astron. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/113891· OSTI ID:5562423

Hills, J G

The probability that passing stars could have perturbed the hypothetical stellar companion, Nemesis, into an orbit that penetrates the planetary system is about 15%. The planetary orbits crossed by Nemesis would become highly eccentric, and some would even become hyperbolic. If Nemesis ejects Jupiter from the solar system, the semimajor axis of the orbit of Nemesis would shrink down to a few hundred AU. The probability of any object in the inner edge of the Oort cloud at a semimajor axis of 2 x 10/sup 4/ AU having passed inside the orbit of Saturn is about 80%. The apparent lack of damage to the planetary orbits implies a low probability of there being any objects more massive than 0.02 M/sub sun/ in the inner edge of the Oort comet cloud. However, several objects less massive than 0.01 M/sub sun/ or 10 Jupiter masses could pass through the planetary system from the Oort cloud without causing any significant damage to the planetary orbits. The lack of damage to the planetary system also requires that no black dwarf more massive than 0.05 M/sub sun/ has entered the planetary system from interstellar space.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Theoretical Division, T-6, Mail Stop B288, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
• OSTI ID: 5562423
• Journal Information: Astron. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astron. J.; (United States) Vol. 90:9; ISSN ANJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DISTURBANCES
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
ORBITS
PLANETS
SIMULATION
SOLAR SYSTEM
SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION
SPACE
STARS
SUN