arXivDaily arXiv每日学术速递 周一至周五更新
arXiv 1709.10079astro-ph.EP
收藏

一颗在结晶区外活动的彗星

A Comet Active Beyond the Crystallization Zone

David Jewitt, Man-To Hui, Max Mutchler, Harold Weaver, Jing Li, Jessic Agarwal

摘要:

我们目前的观测结果显示,长周期彗星C/2017 K2(PANSTARRS)在创纪录的日心距离上活跃。核温度太低(60 K至70 K),无论是水冰升华或无定形冰结晶,需要另一个来源的观察到的活动。利用哈勃太空望远镜,我们发现了一个半径为10 $^5$ km的圆对称尘埃彗发,其总散射截面为$\sim$ 10 $^5$ km $^2$。彗发在其大部分表面上有一个对数表面亮度梯度,表明持续的、稳定状态的尘埃产生。缺乏明确的证据,太阳辐射压力的行动表明,尘埃粒子是大的,平均尺寸$\gtrsim$ 0.1毫米。使用彗发卷积模型,我们发现一个限制的核$V >$ 25.2(绝对星等$H >$ 12.9)的视星等。假设几何半径为$p_V$ = 0.04,则核圆当量半径的极限为$<$ 9 km。2013年发现前的观测显示,这颗彗星在23.7 AU的日心距离上也很活跃。虽然水冰升华和放热结晶都不能解释观测到的远距离活动,但测量的性质与升华超挥发性冰(如CO $_2$、CO、O $_2$和N $_2$)驱动的活动一致。超挥发物在彗星核表面的存在可能是彗星最近从寒冷的奥尔特云到达的结果。

英文摘要:

We present observations showing in-bound long-period comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) to be active at record heliocentric distance. Nucleus temperatures are too low (60 K to 70 K) either for water ice to sublimate or for amorphous ice to crystallize, requiring another source for the observed activity. Using the Hubble Space Telescope we find a sharply-bounded, circularly symmetric dust coma 10$^5$ km in radius, with a total scattering cross section of $\sim$10$^5$ km$^2$. The coma has a logarithmic surface brightness gradient -1 over much of its surface, indicating sustained, steady-state dust production. A lack of clear evidence for the action of solar radiation pressure suggests that the dust particles are large, with a mean size $\gtrsim$ 0.1 mm. Using a coma convolution model, we find a limit to the apparent magnitude of the nucleus $V >$ 25.2 (absolute magnitude $H >$ 12.9). With assumed geometric albedo $p_V$ = 0.04, the limit to the nucleus circular equivalent radius is $<$ 9 km. Pre-discovery observations from 2013 show that the comet was also active at 23.7 AU heliocentric distance. While neither water ice sublimation nor exothermic crystallization can account for the observed distant activity, the measured properties are consistent with activity driven by sublimating supervolatile ices such as CO$_2$, CO, O$_2$ and N$_2$. Survival of supervolatiles at the nucleus surface is likely a result of the comet's recent arrival from the frigid Oort cloud.

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。

↑