Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userProperties of comet 9P/Tempel 1 dust immediately following excavation by Deep Impact
130
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
We analyzed Deep Impact High Resolution Instrument (HRI) images acquired within the first seconds after collision of the Deep Impact impactor with the nucleus of comet 9P/Tempel 1. These images reveal an optically thick ejecta plume that casts a shadow on the surface of the nucleus. Using the 3D radiative transfer code HYPERION we simulated light scattering by the ejecta plume, taking into account multiple scattering of light from the ejecta, the surrounding nuclear surface and the actual observational geometry (including an updated plume orientation geometry that accounts for the latest 9P/Tempel 1 shape model). Our primary dust model parameters were the number density of particles, their size distribution and composition. We defined the composition through the density of an individual particle and the ratio of its material constituents, which we considered to be refractories, ice and voids. The results of our modeling indicate a dust/ice mass ratio for the ejecta particles of at least 1. To further constrain the parameters of the model, we checked for consistency between the ejecta mass resulting from our modeling with the ejecta mass estimated by the crater formation modeling. Constraining the particle size distribution by results of other studies of the Deep Impact ejecta, we find the number density of ejecta particles equal to ~10^4 particles/cm^3 at the base of the plume.
rate research
Read More
On 4 July 2005 at 05:52 UT, the impactor of NASAs Deep Impact (DI) mission crashed into comet 9P/Tempel 1 with a velocity of about 10 km/s. The material ejected by the impact expanded into the normal coma, produced by ordinary cometary activity. The characteristics of the non-impact coma and cloud produced by the impact were studied by observations in the visible wavelengths and in the near-IR. The scattering characteristics of the normal coma of solid particles were studied by comparing images in various spectral regions, from the UV to the near-IR. For the non-impact coma, a proxy of the dust production has been measured in various spectral regions. The presence of sublimating grains has been detected. Their lifetime was found to be about 11 hours. Regarding the cloud produced by the impact, the total geometric cross section multiplied by the albedo was measured as a function of the color and time. The projected velocity appeared to obey a Gaussian distribution with the average velocity of the order of 115 m/s. By comparing the observations taken about 3 hours after the impact, we have found a strong decrease in the cross section in J filter, while that in Ks remained almost constant. This is interpreted as the result of sublimation of grains dominated by particles of sizes of the order of some microns.
GALEX observations of comet 9P/Tempel 1 using the near ultraviolet (NUV) objective grism were made before, during and after the Deep Impact event that occurred on 2005 July 4 at 05:52:03 UT when a 370 kg NASA spacecraft was maneuvered into the path of the comet. The NUV channel provides usable spectral information in a bandpass covering 2000 - 3400 A with a point source spectral resolving power of approximately 100. The primary spectral features in this range include solar continuum scattered from cometary dust and emissions from OH and CS molecular bands centered near 3085 and 2575 A, respectively. In particular, we report the only cometary CS emission detected during this event. The observations allow the evolution of these spectral features to be tracked over the period of the encounter. In general, the NUV emissions observed from Tempel 1 are much fainter than those that have been observed by GALEX from other comets. However, it is possible to derive production rates for the parent molecules of the species detected by GALEX in Tempel 1 and to determine the number of these molecules liberated by the impact. The derived quiescent production rates are Q(H2O) = 6.4e27 molecules/s and Q(CS2) = 6.7e24 molecules/s, while the impact produced an additional 1.6e32 H2O molecules and 1.3e29 CS2 molecules, a similar ratio as in quiescent outgassing.
The time dependence of the changes in the emission spectra of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 after Deep Impact are derived and discussed. This was a unique event because for the first time it gave astronomers the opportunity to follow the time history of the formation and decay of O(1S), OH, CN, C2, C3, NH, and NH2. Least squares fits of a modified Haser model with constraints using known rate constants were fit to the observed data. In the case of OH a simple two-step Haser model provides a reasonable fit to the observations. Fitting the emissions from O(1S), CN, C2, C3, NH, and NH2 requires the addition of a delayed component to a regular two or three step Haser model. From this information a picture of the Deep Impact encounter emerges where there is an initial formation of gas and dust, which is responsible for the prompt emission that occurs right after impact. A secondary source of gas starts later after impact when the initial dust has dissipated enough so that solar radiation can reach the surface of freshly exposed material. The implications of this and other results are discussed in terms of the implications on the structure and composition of the comets nucleus.
Spectropolarimetry of the Deep Impact target, comet 9P/ Tempel 1, was performed during the impact event on July 4th, 2005 with the HiVIS Spectropolarimeter and the AEOS 3.67m telescope on Haleakala, Maui. We observed atypical polarization spectra that changed significantly in the few hours after the impact. The polarization is sensitive to the geometry, size and composition of the scattering particles. Our first measurement, beginning 8 minutes after impact and centered at 6:30UT, showed a polarization of 4% at 650 nm falling to 3% at 950 nm. The next observation, centered an hour later, showed a polarization of 7% at 650 nm falling to 2% at 950nm. This corresponds to a spectropolarimetric gradient, or slope, of 0.9% per 1000 Angstroms 40 minutes after impact, decreasing to a slope of -2.3% per 1000 Angstroms 75 minutes after impact. Both are atypical blue polarization slopes. The polarization values of 4% and 7% at 650nm are typical for comets at this scattering angle, whereas the low polarization of 2% and 3% at 950nm is not. This, combined with the IR spectroscopy performed by a number of observers during the event, suggests an increase in size, number, and crystallinity of the individual silicate particles (monomers) that are a constituant of the dust particles (aggregates) in the ejecta.
High resolution spectropolarimetry of the Deep Impact target, comet 9P/ Tempel 1, was performed during the impact event on July 4th, 2005 with the HiVIS Spectropolarimeter and the AEOS 3.67m telescope on Haleakala, Maui. We observed atypical polarization spectra that changed significantly in the few hours after the impact. The polarization of scattered light as a function of wavelength is very sensitive to the size and composition (complex refractive index) of the scattering particles as well as the scattering geometry. As opposed to most observations of cometary dust, which show an increase in the linear polarization with the wavelength (at least in the visible domain and for phase angles greater than about 30%, a red polarization spectrum) observations of 9P/Tempel 1 at a phase angle of 41 degrees beginning 8 minutes after impact and centered at 6:30UT showed a polarization of 4% at 650 nm falling to 3% at 950 nm. The next observation, centered an hour later showed a polarization of 7% at 650 nm falling to 2% at 950nm. This corresponds to a spectropolarimetric gradient, or slope, of -0.9% per 1000 Angstroms 40 minutes after impact, decreasing to a slope of -2.3% per 1000 Angstroms an hour and a half after impact. This is an atypical blue polarization slope, which became more blue 1 hour after impact. The polarization values of 4% and 7% at 650nm are typical for comets at this scattering angle, whereas the low polarization of 2% and 3% at 950nm is not. We compare observations of comet 9P/Tempel 1 to that of a typical comet, C/2004 Machholz, at a phase angle of 30 degrees which showed a typical red slope, rising from 2% at 650nm to 3% at 950nm in two different observations (+1.0 and +0.9% per 1000 Angstroms).
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
