The Phase Function of the Nucleus of Comet 9P/Tempel 1

Details The Phase Function of the Nucleus of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 The Phase Function of the Nucleus of Comet 9P/Tempel 1

Sep 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.1703m&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #17.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.512

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In the context of the Deep Impact coordinated Earth-based observing program, observations were obtained on 86 nights between 13 Aug. 2001 through 31 Dec 2001 and from Oct. 2003 through 24 Feb. 2004 in order to determine the nucleus surface scattering properties. During the first epoch of observation, the comet passed through phase angles between 1.8-14 degrees, with a minimum on 12 Nov. 2001 (comet outbound at heliocentric distances between 4.12-4.54 AU) and during the second epoch, the comet passed between 1.8-13.3 degrees phase angle (minimum on 2 Jan 2004). At the time, the comet was inbound, moving from 4.3-3.2 AU. For all observations there was no evidence of activity. We used the shape model and light curve data from the encounter, along with the previously determined period of 1.7 days, to perform a least squares fit for the amplitudes and phases of the fundamental and higher harmonics in the light curve at each period of observation in order to remove the rotational signature from the data. Hapke modeling of the phase function for just the Earth-based data gave a single scattering albedo SSA=0.058, an opposition surge height and width Bo=1.142, h=0.047, scattering asymmetry, g=-0.41 for a fixed roughness parameter of theta=16 found from the disk resolved analysis (Li et al, 2006). A preliminary analysis including the large phase angle data from encounter in the fit yields: SSA=0.053, Bo=1.026, h=0.042, g=-0.44 and theta=16.0. These Hapke parameters are similar to other dark surfaces, and is consistent with a highly porous surface.
Support for this work was provided through University of Maryland and University of Hawaii subcontract Z667702, which was awarded under prime contract NASW-00004 from NASA.

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