Seasonally varying outgassing as an explanation for dark comet accelerations

Taylor, Aster G.; Farnocchia, Davide; Vokrouhlický, David; Seligman, Darryl Z.; Steckloff, Jordan K.; Micheli, Marco

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115822

Icarus

2024

DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115822

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Seasonally varying outgassing as an explanation for dark comet accelerations

Aster G. Taylor,

Davide Farnocchia,

David Vokrouhlický

et al.

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2024

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Cited by 4 publications

References 73 publications

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The dynamical origins of the dark comets and a proposed evolutionary track

Taylor,

Steckloff,

Seligman

et al. 2024

Icarus

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The dynamical origins of the dark comets and a proposed evolutionary track

Taylor,

Steckloff,

Seligman

et al. 2024

Icarus

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An automated procedure for the detection of the Yarkovsky effect and results from the ESA NEO Coordination Centre

Fenucci,

Micheli,

Gianotto

et al. 2024

A&A

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The measurement of the Yarkovsky effect on near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) is common practice in orbit determination today, and the number of detections will increase with the developments of new and more accurate telescopic surveys. However, the process of finding new detections and identifying spurious ones is not yet automated, and it often relies on personal judgment. We aim to introduce a more automated procedure that can search for NEA candidates to measure the Yarkovsky effect, and that can identify spurious detections. The expected semi-major axis drift on an NEA caused by the Yarkovsky effect was computed with a Monte Carlo method on a statistical model of the physical parameters of the asteroid that relies on the most recent NEA population models and data. The expected drift was used to select candidates in which the Yarkovsky effect might be detected, according to the current knowledge of their orbit and the length of their observational arc. Then, a nongravitational acceleration along the transverse direction was estimated through orbit determination for each candidate. If the detected acceleration was statistically significant, we performed a statistical test to determine whether it was compatible with the Yarkovsky effect model. Finally, we determined the dependence on an isolated tracklet. Among the known NEAs, our procedure automatically found 348 detections of the Yarkovsky effect that were accepted. The results are overall compatible with the predicted trend with the the inverse of the diameter, and the procedure appears to be efficient in identifying and rejecting spurious detections. This algorithm is now adopted by the ESA NEO Coordination Centre to periodically update the catalogue of NEAs with a measurable Yarkovsky effect, and the results are automatically posted on the web portal.

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Two distinct populations of dark comets delineated by orbits and sizes

Seligman,

Farnocchia,

Micheli

et al. 2024

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Small bodies are capable of delivering essential prerequisites for the development of life, such as volatiles and organics, to the terrestrial planets. For example, empirical evidence suggests that water was delivered to the Earth by hydrated planetesimals from distant regions of the Solar System. Recently, several morphologically inactive near-Earth objects were reported to experience significant nongravitational accelerations inconsistent with radiation-based effects, and possibly explained by volatile-driven outgassing. However, these “dark comets” display no evidence of comae in archival images, which are the defining feature of cometary activity. Here, we report detections of nongravitational accelerations on seven additional objects classified as inactive (doubling the population) that could also be explainable by asymmetric mass loss. A detailed search of archival survey and targeted data rendered no detection of dust activity in any of these objects in individual or stacked images. We calculate dust production limits of ∼ 10, 0.1 , and 0.1 kg s − 1 for 1998 FR 11 , 2001 ME 1 , and 2003 RM with these data, indicating little or no dust surrounding the objects during the observations. This set of dark comets reveals the delineation between two distinct populations: larger, “outer” dark comets on eccentric orbits that are end members of a continuum in activity level of comets, and smaller, “inner” dark comets on near-circular orbits that could signify a different different population. These objects may trace various stages in the life cycle of a previously undetected, but potentially numerous, volatile-rich population that may have provided essential material to the Earth.

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Seasonally varying outgassing as an explanation for dark comet accelerations

Cited by 4 publications

References 73 publications

The dynamical origins of the dark comets and a proposed evolutionary track

The dynamical origins of the dark comets and a proposed evolutionary track

An automated procedure for the detection of the Yarkovsky effect and results from the ESA NEO Coordination Centre

Two distinct populations of dark comets delineated by orbits and sizes

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