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| Paper: |
Characterizing Ring Systems and Extremely Tight Trans-Neptunian Binaries with the Habitable Worlds Observatory |
| Monograph: |
11, HWO25 Proceedings Part II: Mission Framework, Technology, and Broader Contributions |
| Page: |
57 |
| Authors: |
Bryan J. Holler, Richard J. Cartwright, Benjamin Proudfoot, and Aki Roberge |
| DOI: |
10.26624/DDOB7610 |
| Abstract: |
The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) is being developed with the goal of discovering the first Earth-like exoplanets. As with any space-based astrophysics asset, it will also be capable of observing objects within our own solar system. Regardless of the final mission architecture, the expected combination of aperture, wavelength range, and imager pixel scale will revolutionize the study of trans-Neptunian object (TNO) binaries and multiple systems, as well as ring systems around TNOs and the related population of Centaurs. We modeled the separation of TNO binary components and the Quaoar ring system for two HWO mission architectures: a 6.5-meter primary mirror diameter and an imager pixel scale of 10 mas/pixel and an 8.0-meter primary diameter and a 5 mas/pixel pixel scale. HWO will be capable of separating TNO binaries throughout the trans-Neptunian region with semi-major axes of only a few 100 km and would also be able to separate the outer Q1R ring from Quaoar. HWO will push beyond current observation biases and open up a new discovery space to obtain additional system mass and density measurements, better understand the physical processes that shape TNO binary orbits, identify new ring systems and shepherd moons, and better characterize the structure of currently known ring systems. |
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