Some physical characteristics of Halley's nucleus as inferred from VEGA and Giotto pictures

Computer Science

Scientific paper

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Comet Nuclei, Giotto Mission, Halley'S Comet, Image Analysis, Satellite Imagery, Vega Project, Area, Density (Mass/Volume), Volume

Scientific paper

From the contours of the nucleus of Halley's comet as observed with Vega-1, Vega-2 and Giotto pictures, the overall shape of the nucleus, volume and surface area are determined with the help of a Computer-Assisted-Design software. A rotation period of 53 hr was assumed, and was shown more consistent with the pictures than a 7.5 days period, which could be a nutation period. Only prograde motions are possible for these two periods. The volume was found at 375 km3±30% and the surface area at 305 km2±20%. Compared with the mass estimate of 50 to 160 gigatons (Rickman, 1986), the density of the nucleus is small, between 0.1 and 0.54 tons/m3. It implies a formation distance much larger than Uranus-Neptune region. It is speculated that the porosity of the nucleus allows some compressibility and flexibility of the nucleus.

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