| Summary: | We present a joint analysis of the Canada France Ecliptic Plane Survey's
scattering objects, and the Kaib et al. (2011b) orbital model, measuring the
scattering objects' size distribution. Scattering objects are Trans-Neptunian
objects which are strongly interacting with Neptune, having scattering encounters which change their semimajor axes on short dynamical timescales.
We reject a single power-law distribution at the 99% level, and find that
a dearth of small objects is required. We present a novel parameterisation
of a divot size distribution, which rises as a single power-law to a precipitous
drop, then recovers as another single power-law of potentially different
slope. We constrain the form of such a divot distribution, and find that divots
are preferred over "knee" size distributions, which are found elsewhere
in the literature for different populations. We present our preferred divot
scenario, which rises as a single power-law of logarithmic slope α = 0.8 as
absolute Hg magnitudes increase to sizes corresponding to D ~ 100 km, then
dropping by a factor of about 6 in differential number, followed by another
single power-law of logarithmic slope α = 0.5. Our interpretation is that
this feature arose from the size distribution made by planetesimal formation
and is now "frozen in" to the "hot" populations of the outer Solar System.
From this we estimate there are 2‧10⁹ scattering objects with Hg < 18,
allowing for enough to supply the nearby Jupiter Family comets. This interpretation nicely ties the "hot" populations together while simultaneously
explaining the source of the Jupiter Family comets and the observed paucity
of intermediate-sized (50-100 km) Neptune Trojans.
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