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S18B0042abst

S18B0042

Trojan asteroids of Neptune share the same orbit with Neptune but are distributed around the L4 and L5 Lagrangian points 60 ahead and behind the planet. Observational study of Neptune Trojans are uniquely important for the following reasons: (1) Most likely it is one of the major small body reservoirs in the outer solar system, with their estimated number being much more than that of Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids; (2) Since they were likely captured from the trans-Neptunian disk as a result of migration of giant planets, they are expected to provide constraints on the trans-Neptunian disk and planetary migration; (3) Despite their important characteristics mentioned above, only 17 Neptune Trojans have been discovered so far due to their faintness, and their size distribution has been poorly constrained. We propose to search for Neptune Trojans with HSC, and perform follow-up observations to improve orbital information of detected ones. Using these results, we will derive new and unique constrains on two important issues in planet formation theory, i.e., planetesimal formation and migration of giant planets.


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