A statistical insight into the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt

Ten years after the discovery of the first object entirely outside the orbit of Neptune, the number of detected Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt objects (EKBO) is close to 800: after the discovery of the asteroid 1 Ceres, it took 115 years to discover the same number of asteroids. These large comets dressed as asteroids are very elusive objects, challenging the observers with their faintness. As well as the comets and the asteroids, this group of objects represent a valuable source of information on the physical and chemical environment of the Solar System at the epoch of planet growth. In this paper we summarize the results of the first statistical studies of the bulk physical and chemical properties of EKBO, based on broad band photometry data. To cite this article: M. Fulchignoni, A.C. Delsanti, C. R. Physique 4 (2003).