EPOXI: COMET 103P/HARTLEY 2 OBSERVATIONS FROM A WORLDWIDE CAMPAIGN

Journal Article · Fri Jun 10 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/734/1/L1· OSTI ID:21562588

Meech, K J ^[1]; A'Hearn, M F; Bodewits, D ^[2]; Adams, J A ^[3]; Bacci, P ^[4]; Bai, J ^[5]; Barrera, L ^[6]; Battelino, M ^[7]; Bauer, J M ^[8]; Becklin, E ^[9]; Bhatt, B ^[10]; Biver, N; Bockelee-Morvan, D ^[11]; Boehnhardt, H ^[12]; Boissier, J ^[13]; Bonev, B P ^[14]; Borghini, W ^[15]; Brucato, J R ^[16]; Bryssinck, E ^[17]; Buie, M W ^[18]

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1. Institute for Astronomy, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States)
2. Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2421 (United States)
3. Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, 202 Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States)
4. Centro Astronomico di Libbiano, Peccioli Pisa (Italy)
5. Yunnan Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 110, Kunming 65011, Yunnan (China)
6. Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educacion, Av. J. P. Alessandri 774, Nunoa, Santiago (Chile)
7. Swedish Space Corporation, P.O. Box 4207, 17104 Solna (Sweden)
8. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)
9. Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, Universities Space Research Association, Mail Stop 211-3, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (United States)
10. Indian Institute of Astrophysics, CREST Campus, Block-II, Koramangala, Sarjapur Road, Bangalore 560034 (India)
11. LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, Meudon 92195 (France)
12. Max-Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Max-Planck-Str. 2, Katlenburg-Lindau 37191 (Germany)
13. INAF-Inst. di Radioastronomia, Via P. Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna (Italy)
14. Department of Physics, Catholic University of America/GSFC, 620 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington, DC 20064 (United States)
15. Osservatorio Astronomico Naturalistico di Casasco, Strada Ca'Simoni 15050, Casasco (Italy)
16. INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, Firenze 50125 (Italy)
17. Brixiis Observatory, Eyckensbeekstraat 2, 9150 Kruibeke (Belgium)
18. Department of Space Studies, Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street 400, Boulder, CO 80302 (United States)

Earth- and space-based observations provide synergistic information for space mission encounters by providing data over longer timescales, at different wavelengths and using techniques that are impossible with an in situ flyby. We report here such observations in support of the EPOXI spacecraft flyby of comet 103P/Hartley 2. The nucleus is small and dark, and exhibited a very rapidly changing rotation period. Prior to the onset of activity, the period was {approx}16.4 hr. Starting in 2010 August the period changed from 16.6 hr to near 19 hr in December. With respect to dust composition, most volatiles and carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, the comet is similar to other Jupiter-family comets. What is unusual is the dominance of CO{sub 2}-driven activity near perihelion, which likely persists out to aphelion. Near perihelion the comet nucleus was surrounded by a large halo of water-ice grains that contributed significantly to the total water production.

• OSTI ID: 21562588
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 734, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/734/1/L1; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CARBON DIOXIDE
COMETS
ICE
WATER
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS