The Efficiency of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope for Finding Planet Nine-Like Objects
Session Number
U02
Advisor(s)
Mark Subbarao, Adler Planetarium
Location
A-135
Start Date
28-4-2016 11:05 AM
End Date
28-4-2016 11:30 AM
Abstract
The alignments of distant Kuiper Belt objects suggest the presence of another gravitational object in the Solar System, currently denoted as Planet Nine. The object has not been observed by current sky surveys, however given its predicted orbit, its location is likely to be in the observational limits of the future Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). The telescope will conduct a ten-year survey of the sky that will produce a comprehensive catalogue of objects 10-100 times greater than the current record, improving models of Solar System formation and evolution. This investigation compares current mapping strategies of LSST in their ability to observe Planet Nine- like objects, given its expected orbit. A metric was designed to calculate the probability Planet Nine is in the observational limits of the survey, using LSST Stack software and Anaconda Python framework. Running simulated sky surveys with mapping strategies of LSST through this metric provide a strategy’s chance of observing Planet Nine. Preliminary results suggest that strategies extending north have a greater probability in observing Planet Nine. The metric created for this investigation can be applied to find other objects like Planet Nine during the lifespan of the LSST, improving the catalogue of the solar system.
The Efficiency of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope for Finding Planet Nine-Like Objects
A-135
The alignments of distant Kuiper Belt objects suggest the presence of another gravitational object in the Solar System, currently denoted as Planet Nine. The object has not been observed by current sky surveys, however given its predicted orbit, its location is likely to be in the observational limits of the future Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). The telescope will conduct a ten-year survey of the sky that will produce a comprehensive catalogue of objects 10-100 times greater than the current record, improving models of Solar System formation and evolution. This investigation compares current mapping strategies of LSST in their ability to observe Planet Nine- like objects, given its expected orbit. A metric was designed to calculate the probability Planet Nine is in the observational limits of the survey, using LSST Stack software and Anaconda Python framework. Running simulated sky surveys with mapping strategies of LSST through this metric provide a strategy’s chance of observing Planet Nine. Preliminary results suggest that strategies extending north have a greater probability in observing Planet Nine. The metric created for this investigation can be applied to find other objects like Planet Nine during the lifespan of the LSST, improving the catalogue of the solar system.