From the Oort Cloud to Interstellar Space

The dynamical evolution of minor bodies like asteroids and comets has significantly influenced the solar system’s formation and evolution. Planet-comet and star-comet interactions have helped shape structures like the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud. However, these structures are vulnerable to interactions with nearby stars during the Sun’s evolution, leading to cometary loss into interstellar space and material capture from nearby interactions. In this study, we constructed a detailed catalog of nearby white dwarfs and main sequence stars using Gaia DR3 data and used detailed N-body simulations to explore the dynamical evolution of comets in the outer Oort cloud as they interact with the nearby stars. I will present the results of these simulations that shed light on the formation of interstellar comets and the fraction of comets captured from other stars through comet-star interactions.