LiDO: The Large inclination Distant Objects Survey
Abstract
Previous trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) discovery surveys targeted the ecliptic plane, where the overall highest density is seen. High-inclination objects spend little time near the plane, and are thus under-represented in previous TNO surveys. The Large inclination Distant Objects (LiDO) survey targets these high-inclination populations in 34 sq$.$deg., located in two blocks 14-21 degrees north and south of the ecliptic plane, finding 148 objects, all with i>14 degrees due to survey design. A careful characterization of detection efficiency and other survey parameters results in a "characterized sample" of 125 objects detected within the survey's magnitude and rate limits, thus suitable for model comparison via survey simulations. LiDO detected 62 TNOs classified as resonant, including 21 Plutinos, of which 12 are securely Kozai resonators (always coming to pericenter off-ecliptic), as well as 9 objects in the 5:2 resonance, and several mixed mode inclination-eccentricity resonators. No objects beyond 63 au were detected, despite sensitivity to objects as far as 150 au. We found that the i>14 degree orbital distribution of the previous model from OSSOS was rejectable with the inclusion of the 38 characterized hot classical TNOs from LiDO. We constructed a proof-of-concept orbital distribution model of hot classical TNOs based on long-term stability sculpting, which is statistically acceptable for the LiDO and OSSOS samples, while producing population estimates (21,000+3000−3000 hot classicals with H_r<8.3) consistent with OSSOS estimates. The discovery of 125 characterized mid-to-high inclination objects in a variety of orbital classifications provides useful constraints for population modeling and the migration history of the Solar System.
Related
- A multi-epoch search for distant Solar System bodies in the Catalina Sky Survey
- The IRAC Distant Cluster Survey
- COPAS: Compact Objects and the Physics of Accretion Survey I. Accreting Binaries with P < 83 Minutes
- An HST survey of photometry and multiplicity of brown dwarfs and planetary-mass objects in the field of Taurus
- An HST survey of photometry and multiplicity of brown dwarfs and planetary-mass objects in the field of Taurus
BibTeX
@misc{alexandersen2026lido,
title = {{LiDO: The Large inclination Distant Objects Survey}},
author = {Mike Alexandersen and Rosemary E. Pike and Ying-Tung Chen and Samantha M. Lawler and Mark Comte and Lowell Peltier and J. J. Kavelaars and Kathryn Volk and Cameron Semenchuck and Cameron Collyer and Jaidyn Draper and Stephen Gwyn and Hermosillo Ruiz and Matthew J. Holman and Katrina Kianpoor and Cameron J. Morgan and Ruth Murray-Clay and Jonathan Pond and Benjamin Proudfoot and AbdulRahman Rabaa and Darin Ragozzine and Emily Rieger and Mriana Yadkoo},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.19865},
eprint = {2610.19865},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.19865},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - LiDO: The Large inclination Distant Objects Survey
AU - Mike Alexandersen
AU - Rosemary E. Pike
AU - Ying-Tung Chen
AU - Samantha M. Lawler
AU - Mark Comte
AU - Lowell Peltier
AU - J. J. Kavelaars
AU - Kathryn Volk
AU - Cameron Semenchuck
AU - Cameron Collyer
AU - Jaidyn Draper
AU - Stephen Gwyn
AU - Hermosillo Ruiz
AU - Matthew J. Holman
AU - Katrina Kianpoor
AU - Cameron J. Morgan
AU - Ruth Murray-Clay
AU - Jonathan Pond
AU - Benjamin Proudfoot
AU - AbdulRahman Rabaa
AU - Darin Ragozzine
AU - Emily Rieger
AU - Mriana Yadkoo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.19865
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.19865
AB - Previous trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) discovery surveys targeted the ecliptic plane, where the overall highest density is seen. High-inclination objects spend little time near the plane, and are thus under-represented in previous TNO surveys. The Large inclination Distant Objects (LiDO) survey targets these high-inclination populations in 34 sq$.$deg., located in two blocks 14-21 degrees north and south of the ecliptic plane, finding 148 objects, all with i>14 degrees due to survey design. A careful characterization of detection efficiency and other survey parameters results in a "characterized sample" of 125 objects detected within the survey's magnitude and rate limits, thus suitable for model comparison via survey simulations. LiDO detected 62 TNOs classified as resonant, including 21 Plutinos, of which 12 are securely Kozai resonators (always coming to pericenter off-ecliptic), as well as 9 objects in the 5:2 resonance, and several mixed mode inclination-eccentricity resonators. No objects beyond 63 au were detected, despite sensitivity to objects as far as 150 au. We found that the i>14 degree orbital distribution of the previous model from OSSOS was rejectable with the inclusion of the 38 characterized hot classical TNOs from LiDO. We constructed a proof-of-concept orbital distribution model of hot classical TNOs based on long-term stability sculpting, which is statistically acceptable for the LiDO and OSSOS samples, while producing population estimates (21,000^+3000_−3000 hot classicals with H_r<8.3) consistent with OSSOS estimates. The discovery of 125 characterized mid-to-high inclination objects in a variety of orbital classifications provides useful constraints for population modeling and the migration history of the Solar System.
ER -