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Register a new userImaging polarimetry and photometry of comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
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We report results of polarimetric observations of comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner made at phase angles, {alpha}=76-78 deg, between 10 and 17 of September 2018, and compare them with previous measurements. We find significant variations in the polarimetric signals that appear consistent with those reported previously. These variations and subsequent modeling suggest that the particles in the coma are replenished within a period of approximately one day. This period is significantly shorter for highly absorbing carbonaceous particles than for non-absorbing Mg-rich silicate particles. Such a difference in the relative abundances of these components can lead to variations in the polarization response of the coma. The strong positive polarization in the subsolar direction suggests a large relative abundance of carbonaceous material, which may be an indicator of jet-type activity.
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We report on photometry and high resolution spectroscopy of the chemically peculiar Jupiter-family Comet (hereafter JFC) 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. Comet 21P is a well known member of the carbon-chain depleted family but displays also a depletion of amines. We monitored continuously the comet over more than seven months with the two TRAPPIST telescopes (TN and TS), covering a large heliocentric distance range from 1.60 au inbound to 2.10 au outbound with a perihelion at 1.01 au on September 10, 2018. We computed and followed the evolution of the dust (represented by Af$rho$) and gas production rates of the daughter species OH, NH, CN, C$_3$, and C$_2$ and their relative abundances to OH and to CN over the comet orbit. We compared them to those measured in the previous apparitions. The activity of the comet and its water production rate reached a maximum of (3.72$pm$0.07)$times$10$^{28}$ molec/s on August 17, 2018 (r$_h$=1.07 au), 24 days before perihelion. The peak value of A(0)f$rho$ was reached on the same date (1646$pm$13) cm in the red filter. The abundance ratios of the various species are remarkably constant over a large range of heliocentric distances, before and after perihelion, showing a high level of homogeneity of the ices in the surface of the nucleus. The behaviour and level of the activity of the comet is also remarkably similar over the last five orbits. About the coma dust colour, 21P shows reflectively gradients similar to JFCs. We obtained a high resolution spectrum of 21P with UVES at ESO VLT one week after perihelion. Using the CN B-X (0,0) violet band, we measured $^{12}$C/$^{13}$C and $^{14}$N/$^{15}$N isotopic ratios of 100$pm$10 and 145$pm$10, respectively, both in very good agreement with what is usually found in comets.
Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner (hereafter, comet 21P/G-Z) is a Jupiter-family comet and a parent comet of the October Draconids meteor shower. If meteoroids originating from a Jupiter-family comet contain complex organic molecules, such as amino acids, they are essential pieces of the puzzle regarding the origin of life on Earth. We observed comet 21P/G-Z in the mid-infrared wavelength region using the Cooled Mid-infrared Camera and Spectrometer (COMICS) on the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope on UT 2005 July 5. Here, we report the unidentified infrared (UIR) emission features of comet 21P/G-Z, which are likely due to complex organic molecules (both aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons), and the thermal emission from amorphous/crystalline silicates and amorphous carbon grains in its mid-infrared low-resolution spectrum. The UIR features at ~8.2 micron, ~8.5 micron, and ~11.2 micron found in the spectrum of comet 21P/G-Z could be attributed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (or hydrogenated amorphous carbons) contaminated by N- or O-atoms, although part of the feature at ~11.2 micron comes from crystalline olivine. The other feature at ~9.2 micron might originate from aliphatic hydrocarbons. Comet 21P/G-Z is enriched in complex organic molecules. Considering that the derived mass fraction of crystalline silicates in comet 21P/G-Z is typical of comets, we propose that the comet originated from a circumplanetary disk of giant planets (similar to Jupiter and Saturn) where was warmer than the typical comet-forming region (5-30 au from the Sun) and was suitable for the formation of complex organic molecules. Comets from circumplanetary disks might be enriched in complex organic molecules, such as comet 21P/G-Z, and may have provided pre-biotic molecules to ancient Earth by direct impact or meteor showers.
We present the results of photometry, linear spectropolarimetry, and imaging circular polarimetry ofcomet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) performed at the 6-m telescope BTA of the Special Astrophysical Observatory(Russia) equipped by the multi-mode focal reducer SCORPIO-2. The comet was observed at two epochspost-perihelion: on February 2-14, 2012 at r=1.6 au and {alpha}=36 {deg}; and on April 14-21, 2012 at r=2.2 au and {alpha}=27 deg. The spatial maps of the relative intensity and circular polarization as well as the spectral distribution of linear polarization are presented. There were two features (dust and gas tails) orientedin the solar and antisolar directions on February 2 and 14 that allowed us to determine rotation periodof the nucleus as 11.1 hours. We detected emissions of C2 , C3 , CN, CH, NH2 molecules as well as CO+ and H2O+ ions, along with a high level of the dust continuum. On February 2, the degree of linear polarization in the continuum, within the wavelength range of 0.67-0.68 {mu}m, was about 5% in the near-nucleus region up to near 6000 km and decreased to about 3% at near 40,000 km. The left-handed (negative) circular polarization at the level approximately from -0.06% to -0.4% was observed at the distances up to 3*10^4 km from the nucleus on February 14 and April 21, respectively.
We analyze the dust environment of the distant comet C/2014 A4 (SONEAR), with a perihelion distance near 4.1~au, using comprehensive observations obtained by different methods. We present an analysis of spectroscopy, photometry, and polarimetry of comet C/2014 A4 (SONEAR), which were performed on November 5~--~7, 2015, when its heliocentric distance was 4.2~au and phase angle was 4.7$^circ$. Long-slit spectra and photometric and linear polarimetric images were obtained using the focal reducer SCORPIO-2 attached to the prime focus of the 6-m telescope BTA (SAO RAS, Russia). We simulated the behavior of color and polarization in the coma presenting the cometary dust as a set of polydisperse polyshapes rough spheroids. No emissions were detected in the 3800~--~7200~$AA$ wavelength range. The continuum showed a reddening effect with the normalized gradient of reflectivity 21.6$pm$0.2% per 1000~$AA$ within the 4650~--~6200~$AA$ wavelength region. The fan-like structure in the sunward hemisphere was detected. The radial profiles of surface brightness differ for r-sdss and g-sdss filters, indicating predominance of submicron and micron-sized particles in cometary coma. The dust color (g--r) varies from 0.75$ pm $0.05$^m$ to 0.45$ pm $0.06$^m$ along the tail. For aperture radius near 20~000~km, the dust productions in various filters were estimated as $Afrho $~=~680$pm$18~cm (r-sdss) and 887$ pm $16~cm (g-sdss). The polarization map showed spatial variations of polarization over the coma from about --3% near the nucleus to --8% at cometocentric distance about 150~000~km. Our simulations show that the dust particles were dominated (or covered) by ice and tholin-like organics. Spatial changes in the color and polarization can be explained by particle fragmentation.
Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak (41P), a Jupiter family comet with three discoveries over about 100 years, is in a short-periodic orbit around the Sun with the perihelion close to the Earth distance. The 2017 apparition of 41P offered a long-lasting visibility of the comet at a close distance to Earth. The four month-long imaging campaign with the 2 m telescope at the Mount Wendelstein Observatory was aimed at characterizing dust activity and nucleus properties of the comet. Using a new analysis method of the inner coma flux, we derived a small mean equivalent radius of about 600 m for the nucleus with an unusual body axes ratio that is higher than two. The nucleus rotation axis was determined from the geometric appearance of coma structures, which were enhanced in the images. A long-lasting coma fan was produced by an extended region at high latitudes on the slowly rotating nucleus, whereas isolated jets originated from narrow, low latitude active regions on the nucleus. The dust activity of 41P, despite being difficult to quantify exactly because of an unknown phase function correction for the comet, indicates a steep radial profile that falls off with an increasing distance from the Sun. Colors and flux profiles provide evidence for dust fragmentation in the inner coma of the comet. A singular outburst event created various dust structures in the coma. The outburst came from an extended region on the nucleus and was due to either a landslide on the nucleus or a sudden material release from a subsurface pocket of volatile ice.
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