Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kakharov, Shokhruz, Loeb, Abraham
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2408.02739
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866908480484409344
author Kakharov, Shokhruz
Loeb, Abraham
author_facet Kakharov, Shokhruz
Loeb, Abraham
contents The first interstellar objects, 1I/`Oumuamua, 2I/Borisov and 3I/ATLAS, were discovered over the past decade. We follow the trajectories of known interstellar objects in the gravitational potential of the Milky Way galaxy to constrain their possible origin. We perform Monte Carlo orbital integrations using 10,000 trajectory ensembles per object to properly account for measurement uncertainties in both object velocities and Solar motion parameters. We implement a Bayesian statistical framework that combines a Rayleigh-like likelihood function with star formation rate priors to infer stellar ages from the maximum vertical excursions ($z_{\text{max}}$) of orbital trajectories. The likelihood function incorporates age-dependent velocity dispersions reflecting the thin-thick disk transition and dynamical heating over galactic history. Our Monte Carlo analysis yields median $z_{\text{max}}$ values of 0.016 $\pm$ 0.002 kpc for 1I/`Oumuamua, 0.121 $\pm$ 0.010 kpc for 2I/Borisov, and 0.480 $\pm$ 0.020 kpc for 3I/ATLAS. The Bayesian age inference indicates that 1I/`Oumuamua originated from a young stellar system (1.0 Gyr, 68\% CI: 0.1-4.1 Gyr), 2I/Borisov from an intermediate-age population (3.8 Gyr, 68\% CI: 1.8-5.9 Gyr), and 3I/ATLAS from an old thick-disk source (9.6 Gyr, 68\% CI: 7.8-10.3 Gyr). These results demonstrate clear age discrimination where smaller vertical excursions correspond to younger stellar origins.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2408_02739
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Galactic Trajectories of Interstellar Objects 1I/'Oumuamua, 2I/Borisov, and 3I/Atlas
Kakharov, Shokhruz
Loeb, Abraham
Astrophysics of Galaxies
The first interstellar objects, 1I/`Oumuamua, 2I/Borisov and 3I/ATLAS, were discovered over the past decade. We follow the trajectories of known interstellar objects in the gravitational potential of the Milky Way galaxy to constrain their possible origin. We perform Monte Carlo orbital integrations using 10,000 trajectory ensembles per object to properly account for measurement uncertainties in both object velocities and Solar motion parameters. We implement a Bayesian statistical framework that combines a Rayleigh-like likelihood function with star formation rate priors to infer stellar ages from the maximum vertical excursions ($z_{\text{max}}$) of orbital trajectories. The likelihood function incorporates age-dependent velocity dispersions reflecting the thin-thick disk transition and dynamical heating over galactic history. Our Monte Carlo analysis yields median $z_{\text{max}}$ values of 0.016 $\pm$ 0.002 kpc for 1I/`Oumuamua, 0.121 $\pm$ 0.010 kpc for 2I/Borisov, and 0.480 $\pm$ 0.020 kpc for 3I/ATLAS. The Bayesian age inference indicates that 1I/`Oumuamua originated from a young stellar system (1.0 Gyr, 68\% CI: 0.1-4.1 Gyr), 2I/Borisov from an intermediate-age population (3.8 Gyr, 68\% CI: 1.8-5.9 Gyr), and 3I/ATLAS from an old thick-disk source (9.6 Gyr, 68\% CI: 7.8-10.3 Gyr). These results demonstrate clear age discrimination where smaller vertical excursions correspond to younger stellar origins.
title Galactic Trajectories of Interstellar Objects 1I/'Oumuamua, 2I/Borisov, and 3I/Atlas
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2408.02739