Which reservoir is the primary source for short-period comets (period < 200 years)?
Answer
Kuiper Belt (KB)
The Kuiper Belt serves as the main reservoir supplying comets that complete their orbits around the Sun in less than 200 years, known as short-period comets. Objects within the KB, especially those influenced by Neptune's gravity or residing in the more active Scattered Disc region just outside the classical 50 AU boundary, can be nudged inward. These perturbed objects often retain orbits that stay close to the ecliptic plane, characteristic of short-period comets. The Oort Cloud, conversely, is the source for long-period comets, which take much longer than 200 years to orbit the Sun.
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