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J.-C. Liou (GB Tech/Lockheed Martin), H. A. Zook (NASA/JSC)
One method to detect other planetary systems is to deduce the perturbations of planets on the observed circumstellar dust cloud. To relate irregularities in the observed dust distribution to possible planets, with their masses and locations, one must understand the interaction of the dust particles with the planets. Our Solar System, with its known configuration of planets, provides an excellent example to study how the distribution of dust particles is affected by the existence of different planets. We have studied the orbital evolution of Kuiper Belt dust particles and have calculated their distribution in the Solar System. The four giant planets, especially Jupiter and Neptune, impose distinct and dramatic signatures on the overall distribution of dust particles. Our procedures, when combined with extra-solar circumstellar dust observations, can be used to identify the existence of planets and to classify their masses and orbital characteristics.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: jer-chyi.liou1@jsc.nasa.gov