arXivDaily arXiv每日学术速递 周一至周五更新
arXiv 1204.2285astro-ph.EP
收藏

穿越地球或接近地球轨道的长周期彗星的星等和尺寸分布

Magnitude and size distribution of long-period comets in Earth-crossing or approaching orbits

Julio A. Fernández, Andrea Sosa

摘要:

我们分析了近地长周期彗星(LPC)的种群(近日点距离q < 1.3 AU and orbital periods P >10^3年)。我们考虑了1900-2009年期间发现的LPC样本及其估计的绝对总视星等H。对于1900-1970年期间,我们依赖于绝对总星等的历史估计,而对于最近的1970-2009年期间,我们根据格林的光度数据库和IAU通告对H进行了自己的估计。我们还使用了1500-1899年期间最亮彗星(H &lt; 4.5)样本的历史记录,主要基于Vsekhsvyatskii,Hasegawa和Kronk目录。我们发现H的累积分布可以用以下形式的三模态定律来表示:log_{10} N_{<H} = C + alpha乘以H,其中C是不同腿的常数,并且对于H &lt; 4.0,alpha \simeq 0.28 +/- 0.10,对于4.0 &lt;= H &lt; 5.8,alpha \simeq 0.56 +/- 0.10,对于5.8 ≤ H ≤ 8.6,α \simeq为0.20 +/-0.02。H分布第二段斜率的大幅度增加至少部分归因于彗星核分裂,导致产生两个或更多的子彗星。当彗星的亮度小于H &lt;= 8.6时,累积的H分布趋于平坦。比H &lt;= 12(或直径D \lesssim 0.5公里)暗的LPC极为罕见,尽管在过去几十年中对近地天体进行了几次巡天,这表明LPC保持活动的最小尺寸。我们还发现约30%的q &lt; 1.3 AU的LPC是新的(原始束缚能0 &lt; E_{or} &lt; 10^{-4} AU^{-1}),并且在新彗星中,大约一半来自外部奥尔特云(能量0 \lesssim E_{or} \lesssim 0.3乘以10^{-4} AU^{-1}),另一半来自内部奥尔特云(能量为0.3 × 10^{-4} \lesssim E_{or} \lesssim 10^{-4}AU^{-1})。

英文摘要:

We analyse the population of near-Earth Long-Period Comets (LPCs) (perihelion distances q < 1.3 AU and orbital periods P > 10^3 yr). We have considered the sample of LPCs discovered during the period 1900-2009 and their estimated absolute total visual magnitudes H. For the period 1900-1970 we have relied upon historical estimates of absolute total magnitudes, while for the more recent period 1970-2009 we have made our own estimates of H based on Green's photometric data base and IAU Circulars. We have also used historical records for the sample of brightest comets (H < 4.5) covering the period: 1500-1899, based mainly on Vsekhsvyatskii, Hasegawa and Kronk catalogues. We find that the cumulative distribution of H can be represented by a three-modal law of the form log_{10}N_{<H} = C + alpha times H, where the C's are constants for the different legs, and alpha \simeq 0.28 +/- 0.10 for H < 4.0, alpha \simeq 0.56 +/- 0.10 for 4.0 <= H < 5.8, and alpha \simeq 0.20 +/- 0.02 for 5.8 <= H <8.6. The large increase of the slope of the second leg of the H-distribution might be at least partially attributed to splitting of comet nuclei leading to the creation of two or more daughter comets. The cumulative H-distribution tends to flatten for comets fainter than H <= 8.6. LPCs fainter than H <= 12 (or diametres D \lesssim 0.5 km) are extremely rare, despite several sky surveys of near-Earth objects implemented during the last couple of decades, suggesting a minimum size for a LPC to remain active. We also find that about 30 % of all LPCs with q < 1.3 AU are new (original bound energies 0 < E_{or} < 10^{-4} AU^{-1}), and that among the new comets about half come from the outer Oort cloud (energies 0 \lesssim E_{or} \lesssim 0.3 times 10^{-4} AU^{-1}), and the other half from the inner Oort cloud (energies 0.3 times 10^{-4} \lesssim E_{or} \lesssim 10^{-4}AU^{-1}).

机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来,可能存在错误,请以论文正文为准。

↑