doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2026.117101
abstract
The von Zeipel–Lidov–Kozai (ZLK) mechanism plays an important role in the long-term dynamical evolution of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) subjected to planetary gravitational perturbations. Despite its theoretical significance, a systematic observational census of TNOs exhibiting clear ZLK dynamics has been lacking. We performed a comprehensive search for ZLK resonances among all 1,037 numbered objects from the AstDyS catalog with semimajor axes a > 30 au. Using numerical integrations spanning up to 300 Myr, we identify 81 objects (≈7.8% of the sample) that are trapped in ZLK resonance, with an additional 23 transient objects exhibiting alternating libration and circulation. A key finding is that all TNOs in ZLK resonance are simultaneously trapped in two-body mean motion resonances (MMRs) with Neptune, providing direct empirical confirmation of theoretical predictions. The most populated MMRs are 2N-3 (58 objects), 4N-7 (15 objects), 1N-2 (9 objects), and 3N-5 (7 objects). For non-1N-2 MMRs, libration centers cluster near 90° and 270°, while the 1N-2 resonance shows shifted centers at approximately 120°, 150°, 300°, and 330°. We identify several dynamically interesting objects in ZLKR, including the retrograde TNO (585899) 2020 HM98 in 2N+9 and the distant object (652920) 2014 GR53 in the high-order 1N-18 MMR, confirming that resonances of type 1:N and high-order MMRs can maintain ZLK dynamics at large heliocentric distances.