What Can the Cosmic Microwave Background Tell Us about the Outer Solar System?

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal Vol. 669; no. 2; pp. 1406 - 1413
• Main Authors: Babich, Daniel, Blake, Cullen H, Steinhardt, Charles L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL IOP Publishing 10-11-2007; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Astronomy; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Kuiper belt; Oort cloud; cosmic microwave background; Solar system; Cosmic background radiation
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.1086/521913

We discuss two new observational techniques that use observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) to place constraints on the mass, distance, and size distribution of small objects in the Kuiper Belt and inner Oort Cloud, collectively known as trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). The first new technique considers the spectral distortion of the isotropic, or monopole, CMB by TNOs that have been heated by solar radiation to temperatures above that of the CMB. We apply this technique to the spectral measurements of the CMB by the Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer on the Cosmic Background Explorer. The second technique utilizes the change in amplitude of the TNO signal due to the orbital motion of the observer to separate the TNO signal from the invariant extragalactic CMB and construct a map of the mass distribution in the outer solar system. We estimate the ability of future CMB experiments to create such a map.