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Your search keyword '"Lawrence, Kenneth J."' showing total 3 results
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3 results on '"Lawrence, Kenneth J."'

1. Near-nucleus photometry of comets using archived NEAT data

Author

Hicks, Michael D., Bambery, Raymond J., Lawrence, Kenneth J., and Kollipara, Priya

Subjects
Astronomy, Astronomy, Earth sciences
Abstract

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2006.12.023 Byline: Michael D. Hicks (a), Raymond J. Bambery (b), Kenneth J. Lawrence (a), Priya Kollipara (c) Keywords: Comets; Photometry Abstract: Though optimized to discover and track fast moving Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) survey dataset can be mined to obtain information on the comet population observed serendipitously during the asteroid survey. We have completed analysis of over 400 CCD images of comets obtained during the autonomous operations of two 1.2-m telescopes: the first on the summit of Haleakala on the Hawaiian island of Maui and the second on Palomar Mountain in southern California. Photometric calibrations of each frame were derived using background catalog stars and the near-nucleus comet photometry measured. We measured dust production and normalized magnitudes for the coma and nucleus in order to explore cometary activity and comet size-frequency distributions. Our data over an approximately two-year time frame (2001 August-2003 February) include 52 comets: 12 periodic, 19 numbered, and 21 non-periodic, obtained over a wide range of viewing geometries and helio/geocentric distances. Nuclear magnitudes were estimated for a subset of comets observed. We found that for low-activity comets (AfI Author Affiliation: (a) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL MS 183-501, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA (b) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL MS 168-527, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA (c) Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, 105-24 Caltech, 1201 East California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA Article History: Received 3 May 2006; Revised 13 September 2006

Published
2007

2. Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking with the Maui Space Surveillance System (NEAT/MSSS)

Author

Helin, Eleanor F, Pravdo, Steven H, Lawrence, Kenneth J, and Hicks, Michael D

Subjects
Astronomy
Abstract

Over the last year the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) program has made significant progress and now consists of two simultaneously-operating, autonomous search systems on the 1.2-m (48") telescopes: on the Maui Space Surveillance System (NEAT/MSSS) and NEAT/Palomar on the Palomar Observatory's Oschin telescope. This paper will focus exclusively on the NEAT/MSSS system. NEAT/MSSS is operated as a partnership between NASA/JPL and the United States Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), utilizing the AFRL 1.2-m telescope on the 3000-m summit of Haleakala, Maui, The USAF Space Command (SPCMD) contributed financial support to build and install the 'NEAT focal reducer' on the MSSS 1.2-m telescope giving it a large field of view (2.5 square degrees), suitable for the near-earth object (NEO),both asteroids and comets, survey. This work was completed in February 2000. AFRL has made a commitment to NEAT/MSSS that allows NEAT to operate full time with the understanding that AFRL participate as partners in NEAT/MSSS and have use of the NEAT camera system for high priority satellite observations during bright time (parts of 12 nights each month). Currently, NEAT has discovered 42 NEAs including 12 larger than 1-km, 5 Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs), 6 comets, and nearly 25,000 asteroid detections since March 2000.

Published
2001

3. Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) Program

Author

Helin, Eleanor F, Pravdo, Steven H, Rabinowitz, David L, and Lawrence, Kenneth J

Subjects
Astronomy
Abstract

The discoveries of near-Earth asteroids (NEA's) and comets have increased enormously over the last 10-20 years. This is a consequence in large par; of the success of programs that have systematically searched for these objects. These programs have been motivated by the relationships of NEA's to terrestrial impacts, meteorites, comets, and their relative accessibility to spacecraft missions. This paper will review the long-term Palomar Planet Crossing Asteroid Survey (PCAS) a photographic program and the current Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) system NASA's new electronic detection program. The primary goal of NEAT is to discover and inventory near-Earth asteroids and comets, collectively called near-Earth objects or NEO's, larger than 1 km in size. Details of the NEAT system and program results are presented and discussed.

Published
1997

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