Features of a comet nucleus: The case of 103P/Hartley 2

✍ Scribed by P. Gronkowski; Z. Sacharczuk; S. Topolewicz

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 177 KB
• Volume: 332
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-6337
• DOI: 10.1002/asna.201111585

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In the paper two chosen features of the comet 103P/Hartley 2 are studied. The first one are ‘cometary geysers’ which have been recorded by the camera on Deep Impact spacecraft. The numerical calculations related with this phenomenon have been carried out for large number of values of probable cometary characteristics. Our calculations confirm the assumption what also has been observed by NASA's scientists that the jets of carbon dioxide from the geysers are able to lift large chunks of water ice from the comet. The second discussed feature of the comet 103P/Hartley 2 is the lack of impact holes on the surface of its nucleus. The expected rate of impact holes on the surface of the nucleus of 103P/Hartley 2 is discussed. These holes could be the product of impacts between this comet and other small bodies orbiting in the main asteroid belt. The probability of such impacts, the total number of expected perceptible holes and changes in the luminosity of the comet caused by collisions are examined. We conclude that indeed the number of visible holes on its surface should be negligible (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)