The submillimeter radio continuum of Comet P/Brorsen-Metcalf

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/169527· OSTI ID:6257189

Jewitt, D; Luu, J ^[1]

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1. Hawaii Univ., Honolulu (USA) MIT, Cambridge, MA (USA)

Observations of Comet P/Brorsen-Metcalf in the submillimeter radio continuum are presented. The observations were taken using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope on Mauna Kea, and include the first truly submillimeter detection of a comet, and the first submillimeter continuum spectrum. The submillimeter radiation is attributed to thermal emission from a transient population of large grains with a total mass of (1-10) x 10 to the 9th kg. The large grains may be produced by catastrophic failure of part of the refractory mantle on the surface of the cometary nucleus. Models of the submillimeter continuum are discussed. 49 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6257189
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Vol. 365; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMETS
INFRARED RADIATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
COSMIC DUST
MASS
RADIO TELESCOPES
RADIOASTRONOMY
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
THERMAL RADIATION
ANTENNAS
ASTRONOMY
DUSTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
RADIATIONS
RADIO EQUIPMENT
TELESCOPES
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena