Photometry and Surface Physical Properties of Comet 19P/Borrelly

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

2

Scientific paper

The successful Deep Space 1 flyby of Comet P/19 Borrelly offers an unprecedented opportunity to perform disk-resolved photometry and photometric modeling of a comet's nucleus. The flyby occurred at a favorable ground-based apparition, enabling concomitant telescopic observations that provided both the "big picture" in time and space and observations at photometric viewing geometries not attained by the spacecraft. The solar phase angle of the encounter period changed from 87 to 52 degrees over a period of 1.5 hours; this range is ideal for determining the macroscopic roughness of the comet's surface. The microphysical texture of the surface is best determined by ground based observations at aphelion and near opposition. The combination of both disk resolved measurements from DS1 and disk integrated measurements from both DS1 and the ground permits a constrained set of photometric parameters to be derived. Preliminary analysis of the global geometric albedo yields a value at V wavelengths (550 nm) between 0.031 +/- 0.005 (for a Mathilde-type solar phase curve at phase angles less than 10 degrees) and 0.042 +/- 0.005 (for an average C-type phase curve). Albedo variegations of at least a factor of two exist on Borrelly's surface: Its light curve amplitude of nearly a magnitude may thus not be due to shape alone. The image resolution of 60 m allows mapping of albedo variegations in terms of active jet morphology. Funded by NASA.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Photometry and Surface Physical Properties of Comet 19P/Borrelly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Photometry and Surface Physical Properties of Comet 19P/Borrelly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Photometry and Surface Physical Properties of Comet 19P/Borrelly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1238125

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.