THE DYNAMICAL STRUCTURE OF THE KUIPER BELT

Results are presented of integrations of a representative sample of th ousands of test bodies in the Kuiper belt for times up to the age of t he solar system. Using this survey, the main regions of dynamical stab ility (and instability) are mapped out as a function of the particles' semi-major axes, eccentricities, and inclinations. Much of the dynami cal structure is shown to be correlated with mean motion and secular r esonances. Weak dynamical instabilities are confirmed to be capable of producing an influx of Neptune-approaching bodies even on Gyr time sc ales. The integrations are also compared with current observations of bodies in this region. Implications for the early evolution of the Kui per belt, its current structure, and the origins of short-period comet s are discussed. (C) 1995 American Astronomical Society.