Which type of comet is considered to originate from the Kuiper Belt reservoir through gravitational perturbations?
Answer
Short-period comets, generally having orbital periods of less than 200 years.
The Kuiper Belt acts as the source reservoir for many comets that make relatively quick visits to the inner solar system. When the orbits of KBOs are gravitationally nudged inward, primarily by the massive planet Neptune, they can be thrown toward the Sun. If these bodies cross the paths of the major planets and become visible, they are classified as short-period comets, defined by having orbital periods typically under 200 years. This contrasts with long-period comets, which are thought to originate from the much more distant Oort Cloud.
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