Analysis of Cassini radio tracking data for the construction of INPOP19a: A new estimate of the Kuiper belt mass
Open accessAbstract
Context. Recent discoveries of new trans-Neptunian objects have greatly increased the attention by the scientific community to this relatively unknown region of the solar system. The current level of precision achieved in the description of planet orbits has transformed modern ephemerides in the most updated tools for studying the gravitational interactions between solar system bodies. In this context, the orbit of Saturn plays a primary role, especially thanks to Cassini tracking data collected during its 13-year mission around the ringed planet. Planetary ephemerides are currently mainly built using radio data, in particular with normal points derived from range and Doppler observables exchanged between ground stations and interplanetary probes. Aims. We present an analysis of Cassini navigation data aimed at producing new normal points based on the most updated knowledge of the Saturnian system developed throughout the whole mission. We provide additional points from radio science dedicated passes of Grand Finale orbits and Titan flybys. An updated version of the INPOP planetary ephemerides based upon these normal points is presented, along with a new estimate of the mass of trans-Neptunian object rings located in the 2:1 and 3:2 mean motion resonances with Neptune. Methods. We describe in detail the orbit determination process performed to construct the normal points and their associated uncertainties and how we process those points to produce a new planetary ephemeris. Results. From the analysis, we obtained 623 new normal points for Saturn with metre-level accuracy. The ephemeris INPOP19a, including this new dataset, provides an estimated mass for the trans-Neptunian object rings of (0.061 ± 0.001)M⊕.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The uncertainty in Saturn's perihelion yields a linear accuracy σr ≃ 3.4 m over 13 years, which agrees with published Cassini-based orbital accuracy.
“The value of σ π in the last column of Table 1 yields σ r ≃ 3.4 m over 13 years, which agrees with the published Cassini-based orbital accuracy [24,29]”
From Has Kronos Devoured Planet Nine and Its Epigones? (2026) · cites this paper as [24]
Saturn's orbit was recently constrained to metre-level accuracy thanks to Cassini radio tracking data.
“In particular, the orbit of Saturn is adopted since it was recently constrained to metre-level accuracy [23,24] thanks to a long record of radio tracking data transmitted by the Cassini probe”
From Has Kronos Devoured Planet Nine and Its Epigones? (2026) · cites this paper as [24]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Factorization Methods for Discrete Sequential Estimation
(1977) · Mathematics in Science and Engineering/Mathematics in science and engineering · doi:10.1016/s0076-5392(08)x6052-7 · Cited by 1,851 · see citing works
Discovery of the candidate Kuiper belt object 1992 QB1
Jewitt, D. C., & Luu, J. X. (1993) · Nature · doi:10.1038/362730a0 · Cited by 493 · see citing works
LEVISON, H., MORBIDELLI, A., VANLAERHOVEN, C., GOMES, R., & TSIGANIS, K. (2008) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2007.11.035 · Cited by 473 · see citing works
Evidence for a Distant Giant Planet in the Solar System
Batygin, K., & Brown, M. E. (2016) · The Astronomical Journal · doi:10.3847/0004-6256/151/2/22 · Cited by 432 · cited 1× · see citing works
“In 2016, Batygin & Brown (2016) proposed the presence of a ninth planet (P9), beyond the orbit of Neptune, that is able to explain the observed anomalies (see Batygin et al. (2019) for a thorough overview of the P9 hypothesis).”
BackgroundThe Gravity Field and Interior Structure of Enceladus
IESS, L., Stevenson, D. J., Parisi, M., Hemingway, D., Jacobson, R. A., Lunine, J. I., Nimmo, F., Armstrong, J. W., Asmar, S. W., Ducci, M., et al. (2014) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1250551 · Cited by 428 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Size Distribution of Trans-Neptunian Bodies
Bernstein, G. M., Trilling, D. E., Allen, R. L., Brown, M. E., Holman, M., & Malhotra, R. (2004) · The Astronomical Journal · doi:10.1086/422919 · Cited by 414 · see citing works
Formulation for Observed and Computed Values of Deep Space Network Data Types for Navigation
Moyer, T. D. (2003) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/0471728470 · Cited by 371 · see citing works
A Sedna-like body with a perihelion of 80 astronomical units
Trujillo, C. A., & Sheppard, S. S. (2014) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature13156 · Cited by 303 · see citing works
The Size Distribution of Trans-Neptunian Bodies
Bernstein, G. M., Trilling, D. E., Allen, R. L., Brown, M. E., Holman, M., & Malhotra, R. (2003) · CERN Document Server (European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Cited by 281 · see citing works
The Structure of the Kuiper Belt: Size Distribution and Radial Extent
Gladman, B., Kavelaars, J. J., Petit, J.-M., Morbidelli, A., Holman, M. J., & Loredo, T. J. (2001) · The Astronomical Journal · doi:10.1086/322080 · Cited by 244 · see citing works
Discovery of a Candidate Inner Oort Cloud Planetoid
Brown, M. E., Trujillo, C., & Rabinowitz, D. (2004) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1086/422095 · Cited by 242 · see citing works
Measurement of Jupiter’s asymmetric gravity field
IESS, L., Folkner, W. M., Durante, D., Parisi, M., Kaspi, Y., Galanti, E., Guillot, T., Hubbard, W. B., Stevenson, D. J., Anderson, J. D., et al. (2018) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature25776 · Cited by 231 · see citing works
Self-citationMeasurement and implications of Saturn’s gravity field and ring mass
Iess, L., Militzer, B., Kaspi, Y., Nicholson, P., Durante, D., Racioppa, P., Anabtawi, A., Galanti, E., Hubbard, W., Mariani, M., et al. (2019) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.aat2965 · Cited by 220 · see citing works
Self-citationAsmar, S. W., Armstrong, J. W., IESS, L., & Tortora, P. (2005) · Radio Science · doi:10.1029/2004rs003101 · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Self-citationBatygin, K., Adams, F. C., Brown, M. E., & Becker, J. C. (2019) · Physics Reports · doi:10.1016/j.physrep.2019.01.009 · Cited by 181 · cited 1× · see citing works
“In 2016, Batygin & Brown (2016) proposed the presence of a ninth planet (P9), beyond the orbit of Neptune, that is able to explain the observed anomalies (see Batygin et al. (2019) for a thorough overview of the P9 hypothesis).”
Background2004. Discovery of a Candidate Inner Oort Cloud PlanetoidPreprint
Brown, M. E., Trujillo, C., & Rabinowitz, D. (2004) · Cited by 150 · see citing works
Hees, A., Folkner, W. M., Jacobson, R. A., & Park, R. S. (2014) · Physical Review D · doi:10.1103/physrevd.89.102002 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Tapley, B. D., Schutz, B. E., & Born, G. H. (2004) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-012683630-1/50020-5 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
Titan's gravity field and interior structure after Cassini
Durante, D., Hemingway, D., Racioppa, P., IESS, L., & Stevenson, D. J. (2019) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2019.03.003 · Cited by 127 · see citing works
Self-citationIESS, L., Benedetto, M. D., James, N., Mercolino, M., Simone, L., & Tortora, P. (2013) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2013.06.011 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
Self-citationThe new lunar ephemeris INPOP17a and its application to fundamental physics
Viswanathan, V., Fienga, A., Minazzoli, O., Bernus, L., Laskar, J., & Gastineau, M. (2018) · Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society · doi:10.1093/mnras/sty096 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Trans-Neptunian Solar System
(2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/c2018-0-00549-6 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Constraints on the location of a possible 9th planet derived from the<i>Cassini</i>data
Fienga, A., Laskar, J., Manche, H., & Gastineau, M. (2016) · Astronomy & Astrophysics · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201628227 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Self-citationPitjeva, E. V., & Pitjev, N. P. (2018) · Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy · doi:10.1007/s10569-018-9853-5 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Observational Constraints on Planet Nine: Cassini Range Observations
Holman, M. J., & Payne, M. J. (2016) · The Astronomical Journal · doi:10.3847/0004-6256/152/4/94 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Asteroid masses obtained with INPOP planetary ephemerides
Fienga, A., Avdellidou, C., & Hanuš, J. (2019) · Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society · doi:10.1093/mnras/stz3407 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Self-citationINPOP17a planetary ephemerides
Viswanathan, V., Fienga, A., Gastineau, M., & Laskar, J. (2017) · HAL · doi:10.13140/rg.2.2.24384.43521 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Self-citationObservational Constraints on Planet Nine: Astrometry of Pluto and Other Trans-Neptunian Objects
Holman, M. J., & Payne, M. J. (2016) · The Astronomical Journal · doi:10.3847/0004-6256/152/4/80 · Cited by 32 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Since then, many attempts to locate the elusive planet have followed (Fienga et al. 2016a, 2020; Folkner et al. 2016; Holman & Payne 2016a,b).”
BackgroundNew constraints on the location of P9 obtained with the INPOP19a planetary ephemeris
Fienga, A., Di Ruscio, A., Bernus, L., Deram, P., Durante, D., Laskar, J., & Iess, L. (2020) · Astronomy & Astrophysics · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202037919 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Self-citationCassini Spacecraft Attitude Control System Performance and Lessons Learned, 1997–2017
Lee, A. Y., & Burk, T. A. (2018) · Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets · doi:10.2514/1.a34236 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Fienga, A., Laskar, J., Manche, H., et al. (2016) · arXiv (Cornell University) · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1601.00947 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 7
- [1]1. Antreasian, P., Bordi, J. J., Criddle, K., et al. 2005, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conf., Lake Tahoe, CA, AAS 05-312
- [2]2. Antreasian, P., Bordi, J. J., Criddle, K., et al. 2007, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conf., Mackinac Island, MI, AAS 07-000
- [3]3. Antreasian, P., Ardalan, S., Bordi, J., et al. 2008, SpaceOps Conf., Heidelberg, Germany, AIAA 2008-3433
- [7]7. Becker, J., Prasanna, V. K., Weimer, M., et al. 2018, 2018 IEEE Int. Parallel. Distrib. Process. Symp. Workshops (IPDPSW), 81
- [36]36. Pelletier, F., Antreasian, P., Ardalan, S., et al. 2012, SpaceOps 2012 Conf., Stockholm, Sweden
- [39]39. Roth, D., Hahn, Y., Owen, B., & Wagner, S. 2018, 2018 SpaceOps Conf., AIAA 2018-2647
- [41]41. Tapley, B. D., Schutz, B. E., & Born, G. H. 2004, Statistical Orbit Determination (United States: Elsevier Inc.)
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Gladman, B., & Volk, K. (2021) · Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics · doi:10.1146/annurev-astro-120920-010005 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Gravity, Geodesy and Fundamental Physics with BepiColombo’s MORE Investigation
IESS, L., Asmar, S. W., Cappuccio, P., Cascioli, G., Marchi, F. D., di Stefano, I., Genova, A., Ashby, N., Barriot, J., Bender, P., et al. (2021) · Space Science Reviews · doi:10.1007/s11214-021-00800-3 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Self-citationHoolst, T. V., Tobie, G., Vallat, C., Altobelli, N., Bruzzone, L., Cao, H., Dirkx, D., Genova, A., Hußmann, H., IESS, L., et al. (2024) · Space Science Reviews · doi:10.1007/s11214-024-01085-y · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Self-citationTesting theories of gravity with planetary ephemerides
Fienga, A., & Minazzoli, O. (2024) · Living Reviews in Relativity · doi:10.1007/s41114-023-00047-0 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Self-citationFrom Pebbles and Planetesimals to Planets and Dust: The Protoplanetary Disk–Debris Disk Connection
Najita, J., Kenyon, S. J., & Bromley, B. C. (2022) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ac37b6 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
“6 The lower mass limit is somewhat smaller than current mass estimates for the Kuiper Belt (0.02–0.06 M⊕; Pitjeva & Pitjev 2018; Di Ruscio et al. 2020), which has a dust luminosity well below Herschel sensitivity limits (e.g., Backman et al. 1995; Vitense et al. 2012).”
BackgroundInfluentialNew constraints on the location of P9 obtained with the INPOP19a planetary ephemeris
Fienga, A., Di Ruscio, A., Bernus, L., Deram, P., Durante, D., Laskar, J., & Iess, L. (2020) · Astronomy & Astrophysics · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202037919 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Self-citationCallisto and Europa Gravity Measurements from JUICE 3GM Experiment Simulation
Cappuccio, P., Benedetto, M. D., Durante, D., & IESS, L. (2022) · The Planetary Science Journal · doi:10.3847/psj/ac83c4 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“Since range measurements are potentially affected by bias errors, we have considered one independent range bias parameter per tracking pass per station (di Ruscio et al. 2020).”
BackgroundSelf-citationThe Hot Main Kuiper Belt Size Distribution from OSSOS
Petit, J.-M., Gladman, B., Kavelaars, J. J., Bannister, M. T., Alexandersen, M., Volk, K., & Chen, Y.-T. (2023) · The Astrophysical Journal Letters · doi:10.3847/2041-8213/acc525 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
“Based on creation of a planetary ephemeris, Di Ruscio et al. (2020) estimated the total Kuiper Belt mass to be (0.061± 0.001)M⊕, with unknown model-based uncertainty.”
BackgroundInfluentialSignificant interstellar object production by close stellar flybys
Pfalzner, S., Vargas, L. L. A., Bhandare, A., & Veras, D. (2021) · Astronomy and Astrophysics · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202140587 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Significant interstellar object production by close stellar flybys
Pfalzner, S., Vargas, L. L. A., Bhandare, A., & Veras, D. (2021) · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202140587/pdf · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Metal Pollution of the Solar White Dwarf by Solar System Small Bodies
Li, D., Mustill, A. J., & Davies, M. B. (2022) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ac33a8 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“We note that we have been conservative in choosing the mass (for instance, another estimate of dynamical mass by Di Ruscio et al. 2020, is higher by a factor of three than that adopted here).”
MethodDecoupled and coupled moons’ ephemerides estimation strategies application to the JUICE mission
Fayolle, M. S., Dirkx, D., Lainey, V. J., Gurvits, L. I., & Visser, P. N. A. M. (2022) · Planetary and Space Science · doi:10.1016/j.pss.2022.105531 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“In most other analyses, the normal points also include the central moon’s position only (e.g. Durante et al., 2019; Di Ruscio et al., 2020; Di Ruscio, 2021)”
BackgroundA ring model of the main asteroid belt for planetary ephemerides
Liu, S., Fienga, A., & Yan, J. (2022) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114845 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationBayesian test of the mass of the graviton with planetary ephemerides
Mariani, V., Fienga, A., Minazzoli, O., Gastineau, M., & Laskar, J. (2023) · Physical review. D/Physical review. D. · doi:10.1103/physrevd.108.024047 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationEvolution of INPOP planetary ephemerides and Bepi-Colombo simulations
Fienga, A., Bigot, L., Mary, D. L., Deram, P., Ruscio, A. D., Bernus, L., Gastineau, M., & Laskar, J. (2019) · Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union · doi:10.1017/s1743921321001277 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationConstraining massless dilaton theory at Solar system scales with the planetary ephemeris INPOP
Bernus, L., Minazzoli, O., Fienga, A., Hees, A., Gastineau, M., Laskar, J., Deram, P., & Ruscio, A. D. (2022) · Physical review. D/Physical review. D. · doi:10.1103/physrevd.105.044057 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Self-citationHow the formation of Neptune shapes the Kuiper belt
Pirani, S., Johansen, A., & Mustill, A. J. (2021) · Astronomy and Astrophysics · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202037465 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Mariani, V., Minazzoli, O., Fienga, A., Laskar, J., & Gastineau, M. (2024) · Astronomy and Astrophysics · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202348082 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“Starting from Fienga et al. (2015; also in Di Ruscio et al. 2020 and Fienga et al. 2020), several tools have been used to determine the goodness of the INPOP fit with respect to modifications in the equations of motion or in the framework of the ephemeris, as well as the observations.”
MethodSelf-citationPETREL19: a new numerical solution of planetary and lunar ephemeris
Tian, W. (2023) · Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy · doi:10.1007/s10569-023-10151-6 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Analysis of Cassini Altimetric Crossovers on Titan
Durante, D., Mastrogiuseppe, M., Carli, E., Poggiali, V., Ruscio, A. D., Notaro, V., & IESS, L. (2024) · Remote Sensing · doi:10.3390/rs16122209 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“The same approach has also been followed by [36] for the analysis of Cassini range data in the context of planetary ephemeris generation.”
MethodSelf-citationHas Kronos Devoured Planet Nine and Its Epigones?
Iorio, L. (2026) · Universe · doi:10.3390/universe12020042
“String theory dilaton may provide a natural implementation of the coupled quintessence scenario, provided the cosmological running of the dilaton does not stop after entering the weak coupling regime e ϕ ≪ 1, as ϕ → −∞ .”
Testing Theories of Gravity with Planetary EphemeridesPreprint
Fienga, A., & Minazzoli, O. (2023) · arXiv (Cornell University) · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2303.01821
Self-citationA formação do nosso Sistema Solar e a diversidade planetária da nossa galáxia
Silva, S. I. (2024) · Cadernos de Astronomia · doi:10.47456/cad.astro.v5n2.46010
“Ele é mais largo e mais denso que o Cinturão de Aste-roides, e sua massa total é estimada em aproxima-damente 6% da massa da Terra [26].”
BackgroundA new multiple-arc model of the resonant Kuiper belt objects – Plutinos
Chen, Y., & Li, J. (2024) · Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society · doi:10.1093/mnras/stae2462
- Authors
- Di Ruscio, A., Fienga, A., Durante, D., Iess, L., Laskar, J., & Gastineau, M.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
- Venue
- Astronomy & Astrophysics
- Publisher
- EDP Sciences
- Published
- 2020-07-28
- Volume
- 640
- Pages
- A7
- ISSN
- 0004-6361 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-0746
- OpenAlex
- W3036939036
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 1.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Astronomy and Astrophysics (publishedVersion)
- IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (IN2P3)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Spacecraft Dynamics and Control
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Space Satellite Systems and Control
- Keywords
- Cassini mission, planetary ephemerides, normal points, Titan flybys
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
