An In-depth Study of the Dust of Comet 46P/Wirtanen

Details An In-depth Study of the Dust of Comet 46P/Wirtanen An In-depth Study of the Dust of Comet 46P/Wirtanen

May 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007sptz.prop40042k&link_type=abstract

Spitzer Proposal ID #40042

Computer Science

Scientific paper

We propose a 9.7 hr project to study, in-depth, the dust of comet 46P/Wirtanen through Spitzer/IRS observations of its ejected grains. The relative locations of comet Wirtanen, Spitzer, and the Sun allow for a continuous visibility window 230 days in length, centered near the comet's perihelion (February 2008). The excellent capabilities of the IRS allow us to take advantage of this rare opportunity throughout the entire visibility window. We will monitor and assess the ejected dust mineralogy as insolation varies on the nucleus and the comet undergoes vigorous coma activity, giving us insight into the structure of comet Wirtanen's nucleus and the mineralogy of its formation zone in the early solar system. Our AORs are designed to attain signal-to-noise ratios large enough to detect crystalline silicates in this ecliptic comet, similar to those found in the pre-Deep Impact spectrum of comet 9P/Tempel. The proposed observations will observe the comet six times to obtain complete spectral energy distributions from 5-40 microns (9.5 hr), as comet Wirtanen travels from 1.5 AU pre-perihelion through 2.0 AU post-perihelion. The resultant data set will be, in terms of signal-to-noise and temporal coverage, analogous to the data obtained by the many mid-IR investigations of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). We also request one MIPS observation (0.2 hr) at 2.5 AU pre-perihelion to verify the comet's ephemeris and nucleus size, and to study the largest grains ejected during previous perihelia.

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