Trans-Neptunian Objects and Comets: Saas-Fee Advanced Course 35

D. Jewitt, A. Morbidelli, H. Rauer, Kathrin Altwegg, Willy Benz, Nicolas Thomas9783642091094, 3642091091

The study of the solar system, particularly of its newly discovered outer parts, is one of the hottest topics in modern astrophysics, with great potential for revealing fundamental clues about the origin of planets and even the emergence of life. The three lecturers at the 35th Saas-Fee Advanced Course cover the field from observational, theoretical and numerical perspectives. Highly sensitive, wide-field electronic detectors have enabled the discovery and the exploration of the Kuiper Belt, while fast computers allow us to make numerical simulations with a degree of sophistication that was previously unimaginable. Additionally, our perception of the solar system in the bigger context of the galactic disk is changing; particularly as we detect planets encircling other stars. This volume reviews what we know about the solar system and is therefore extremely timely. The style it is written in perfectly conveys the excitement this field of research holds and is readable for new graduate students in the field.