SECULAR RESONANCES IN THE PRIMITIVE SOLAR NEBULA

We present here a very simple model that could explain the relatively high eccentricities and inclinations observed in the minor planet belt. This model is based upon the sweeping of the secular resonances nu(6) and nu(16) through the belt due to the gravitational effect of the dissipation of a primitive solar nebula. The sweeping of the nu(16) secular resonance (responsible for the high inclinations) is very sensitive to the density profile of the nebula. For the model to work we need a density profile proportional to rho(-k) with k between 1.0 and 1.5.