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What If Planet 9 Is a Primordial Black Hole?
1Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
Physical Review Letters
|August 16, 2020
Summary
Anomalous orbits of trans-Neptunian objects and excess microlensing events suggest a new population of primordial black holes (PBHs). Capturing a PBH could explain the Planet 9 hypothesis, with dark matter signals offering confirmation.
Area of Science:
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Cosmology
- Planetary Science
Background:
- Anomalous orbits of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) suggest the presence of an unseen massive body in the outer Solar System.
- An excess of gravitational microlensing events has been observed, requiring explanation by new astrophysical populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if a population of massive astrophysical bodies can simultaneously explain TNO orbits and microlensing excesses.
- To explore the possibility of primordial black holes (PBHs) as an explanation for these phenomena and their connection to the Planet 9 hypothesis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of TNO orbital dynamics under the gravitational influence of massive objects.
- Statistical analysis of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) data for microlensing event excess.
- Comparison of capture probabilities for free-floating planets versus PBHs in the Solar System.
Main Results:
- A population of objects several times Earth's mass can reconcile TNO anomalies and microlensing data.
- Primordial black holes (PBHs) are a viable candidate for these objects.
- The probability of capturing a PBH is comparable to capturing a free-floating planet for the Planet 9 scenario.
Conclusions:
- The simultaneous explanation of TNO orbits and microlensing events points to a population of massive PBHs.
- PBHs in the outer Solar System present distinct observational constraints compared to a ninth planet.
- Annihilation signals from the dark matter microhalo around a captured PBH could provide observational confirmation.
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