Bulk Density of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 Based on Orbital and Rotational Nongravitational Effects

Details Bulk Density of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 Based on Orbital and Rotational Nongravitational Effects Bulk Density of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 Based on Orbital and Rotational Nongravitational Effects

Sep 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.3705s&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #37.05

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

The accurate determination of bulk densities of cometary nuclei provides a strong indicator of their interior structure and will furnish insights into the conditions in the early solar system. The primary technique to determine cometary bulk densities is by correlating the secular orbital changes of the comet with the corresponding forces due to outgassing. However, significant uncertainties persist in these determinations as the accurate assessment of forces due to outgassing is difficult. Davidsson et al. (2007) derived a bulk density of 200-700 kg m-3 for comet 9P/Tempel 1 based on the orbital nongravitational forces. Richardson and colleagues (e.g,, Richardson et al. 2007) independently determined a density of 200-1000 kg m-3 for comet 9P/Tempel 1 based on the analysis of the ejecta fallback caused by the impactor of the Deep Impact mission. These density determinations based on widely different techniques yield consistent results; however, the allowed density range is relatively large. A simultaneous modeling of orbital and
rotational changes in 9P/Tempel 1 is expected to yield more constraining results for the bulk density. Accurate determinations of the rotational changes (Belton et al.
2009) and the localized activity (cf. Farnham et al. 2007, Feaga et al. 2007, Schleicher 2006) of comet 9P/Tempel 1 allow us to simultaneously model the orbital and rotational changes caused by outgassing in a self-consistent manner. Initial results from this study will be presented at the meeting.
We thank NASA Outer Planets Research Program.
References:
Belton, M.J.S. et al. 2009. Icarus, in preparation.
Davidsson, B.J.R. et al. 2007, Icarus, 187, 306-320.
Farnham, T.L. et al. 2007. Icarus, 187, 26-40.
Feaga, L.M. et al. 2007. Icarus, 190, 345-356.
Richardson, J.E. et al. 2007. Icarus, 190, 357-390.
Schleicher D.G. 2006. Icarus, 181, 442-457.

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