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arXiv 0906.4733astro-ph.EPastro-ph.IM
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Spitzer Space Telescope对103 P/Hartley 2彗星核的观测

Spitzer Space Telescope Observations of the Nucleus of Comet 103P/Hartley 2

C. M. Lisse, Y. R. Fernandez, W. T. Reach, J. M. Bauer, M. F. A'Hearn, T. L. Farnham, O. Groussin, M. J Belton, K. J. Meech, C. D. Snodgrass

摘要:

我们已经使用斯皮策22微米峰阵列观察热辐射从彗星103 P/哈特利2,美国宇航局的深度撞击扩展任务的目标的核心和踪迹。这颗彗星是在UT 2008年8月12日和13日观测到的,当时彗星距离太阳5.5 AU。我们在2.7小时内获得了两组200帧的光度成像。在测量误差范围内,我们发现两个图像之间没有检测到任何时间变化。这颗彗星的辐射超过了一个点源,沿着彗星的反速度矢量形成了一条微弱的尾迹。在建模和去除拖尾发射之后,具有0.95 +/- 0.20的聚束参数的核发射的NEATM模型指示0.57 +/- 0.08 km的小的核有效半径和0.028 +/- 0.009(1 sigma)的低的几何平均值。根据这个核的大小和近日点处3 x 10^28分子s-1的产水率(A 'Hearn等人,1995年),我们估计在近日点处约100%的表面积都在活跃地释放挥发性物质。发射活动高达~5 AU的报告(Lowry et al. 2001,Scarlgrass et al. 2008)支持了我们对高度活跃的核表面的发现。与深度撞击的第一个目标彗星9 P/坦普尔1号相比,哈特利2号的核心是五分之一宽(大约是百分之一的质量),同时在近日点产生类似数量的放气,大约13倍的活跃表面分数。与Tempel 1不同,它应该对喷气驱动的自旋扭矩非常敏感,因此可以以更高的频率旋转。除非发生灾难性的分裂或主要的碎片事件,否则彗星应该能够以目前的质量损失率再存活100次(约700年)。

英文摘要:

We have used the Spitzer 22-um peakup array to observe thermal emission from the nucleus and trail of comet 103P/Hartley 2, the target of NASA's Deep Impact Extended mission. The comet was observed on UT 2008 August 12 and 13, while the comet was 5.5 AU from the Sun. We obtained two 200-frame sets of photometric imaging over a 2.7-hour period. To within the errors of the measurement, we find no detection of any temporal variation between the two images. The comet showed extended emission beyond a point source in the form of a faint trail directed along the comet's anti-velocity vector. After modeling and removing the trail emission, a NEATM model for the nuclear emission with beaming parameter of 0.95 +/- 0.20 indicates a small effective radius for the nucleus of 0.57 +/- 0.08 km and low geometric albedo 0.028 +/- 0.009 (1 sigma). With this nucleus size and a water production rate of 3 x 10^28 molecules s-1 at perihelion (A'Hearn et al. 1995) we estimate that ~100% of the surface area is actively emitting volatile material at perihelion. Reports of emission activity out to ~5 AU (Lowry et al. 2001, Snodgrass et al. 2008) support our finding of a highly active nuclear surface. Compared to Deep Impact's first target, comet 9P/Tempel 1, Hartley 2's nucleus is one-fifth as wide (and about one-hundredth the mass) while producing a similar amount of outgassing at perihelion with about 13 times the active surface fraction. Unlike Tempel 1, it should be highly susceptible to jet driven spin-up torques, and so could be rotating at a much higher frequency. Barring a catastrophic breakup or major fragmentation event, the comet should be able to survive up to another 100 apparitions (~700 yrs) at its current rate of mass loss.

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