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Why the sharp distinction between short-period (P) comets of less-than-200-year orbits and those (C) with even slightly longer ones?

To explore the possibility that it has to do with stability, I will first need to ask: Are short-period comets more stable (in their orbits) than long-period ones?

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    $\begingroup$ Your question title is quite different from your question body. What question do you actually want to ask? $\endgroup$
    – planetmaker
    Apr 12 at 21:52
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    $\begingroup$ I've made an edit to address planetmaker's concern. I think you can break this into multiple questions. This one lays the groundwork, hopefully a "stability" vs period (or semimajor axis) plot can be ascertained. Then if there is or isn't a short to long difference in "stability" you can decide where to go next. It will be interesting to find out what "stability" means here. Comments can have interactions with other bodies and change their orbital elements to a new period, after a single close interaction or millions of distant interactions. Is that "instability"? Or do you mean "kicked out"? $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Apr 13 at 1:30
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    $\begingroup$ Why do you claim there's a sharp distinction? Do you have any relevant references for that? $\endgroup$
    – PM 2Ring
    Apr 13 at 2:10

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