1. EPOXI at Comet Hartley 2
- Author
-
Peter H. Schultz, Jian-Yang Li, Jochen Kissel, J. L. Williams, Dennis D. Wellnitz, Jessica M. Sunshine, M. J. S. Belton, Frederic Merlin, Sebastien Besse, Peter C. Thomas, Lucy A. McFadden, Karen J. Meech, Don J. Lindler, S. McLaughlin, Kenneth P. Klaasen, Donald Hampton, Brendan Hermalyn, Timothy J. Bowling, James E. Richardson, Michael F. A'Hearn, Carey M. Lisse, Brian Carcich, Lori M. Feaga, W. Alan Delamere, Olivier Groussin, Donald K. Yeomans, Silvia Protopapa, H. Jay Melosh, Dennis Bodewits, Tony L. Farnham, Michael S. P. Kelley, Steven M. Collins, Joseph Veverka, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM), and Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
Physics ,Solar System ,Multidisciplinary ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,[SDU.ASTR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph] ,Gas giant ,Comet ,High resolution ,01 natural sciences ,Astrobiology ,Outgassing ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,13. Climate action ,0103 physical sciences ,medicine ,010303 astronomy & astrophysics ,Near infrared radiation ,Nucleus ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
International audience; Understanding how comets work-what drives their activity-is crucial to the use of comets in studying the early solar system. EPOXI (Extrasolar Planet Observation and Deep Impact Extended Investigation) flew past comet 103P/Hartley 2, one with an unusually small but very active nucleus, taking both images and spectra. Unlike large, relatively inactive nuclei, this nucleus is outgassing primarily because of CO2, which drags chunks of ice out of the nucleus. It also shows substantial differences in the relative abundance of volatiles from various parts of the nucleus.
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF