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Photometry of Jupiter Family Comet nuclei

Photometry of Jupiter Family Comet nuclei. Colin Snodgrass European Southern Observatory, Chile Alan Fitzsimmons, Stephen Lowry Queen’s University Belfast, UK. Nuclei are small (radii a few kilometres) & dark (albedos typically only 4%)

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Photometry of Jupiter Family Comet nuclei

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  1. Photometry of Jupiter Family Comet nuclei Colin Snodgrass European Southern Observatory, Chile Alan Fitzsimmons, Stephen Lowry Queen’s University Belfast, UK

  2. Nuclei are small (radii a few kilometres) & dark (albedos typically only 4%) When active, the nucleus is obscured by coma unless imaged at very high spatial resolution. Cometary nuclei

  3. Observing the nucleus • Canonical cut off for activity is Rh = 3 AU. • We perform multi-filter, time-series photometry (CCD imaging). Requires 2-4m class telescope. • From this we can measure surface properties (colours) and the bulk physical parameters of size, shape, rotation period and density. • By studying a large number of comets in this way, we can constrain the general properties of the population.

  4. Light-curve amplitude against spin-rate. Minimum bulk density for each minor body (rubble pile). Cut off gives average bulk density for population. Bulk Densities

  5. Same plot for KBOs - split into small (r<200km) and large. KBOs appear to have a similar cut off to JFCs, despite different sizes of observed bodies. Bulk Densities (2)

  6. There is a linear relationship between the measured colour indices (V-R) and (R-I). This implies increasing albedo through V, R & I bands, i.e. greater reflectance at greater wavelength. Surface Colours

  7. The same relationship between (V-R) and (R-I) holds for KBOs. Nuclei are found to be red, but not as red as KBOs. This is attributed to removal or covering of the ‘ultra-red matter’ seen in KBOs by cometary activity. Surface Colours (2)

  8. Reducing the colours to a single parameter gives approximately normal distributions for both JFCs and KBOs. The JFC distribution can be reproduced by applying a linear ‘de-reddening’ function to the KBO one: i.e. the reddest surfaces are the most depleted. Surface Colours (3)

  9. Summary • We have time-series photometry on a reasonable sample of JFC nuclei. • From this we can constrain the average bulk properties of the population: • Spin up/down by jets gives a flat spin rate distribution. • A cut off in spin-rate axial-ratio space implies a low average bulk density of 0.6 g cm-3. • This implies considerable porosity. • Density / internal structure similar to KBOs? • Colours are less red than KBOs. • Distribution can be recreated from KBO colours.

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