The colors of cometary nuclei—Comparison with other primitive bodies of the Solar System and implications for their origin

Lamy, Philippe; Tóth, I.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.01.030

Cited by 62 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 149 publications

(174 reference statements)

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“…For each nucleus, we briefly summarize other determinations of its size based on the more extensive discussion provided in our review article (Lamy et al 2004). Color indices are reported, but their interpretation in the general context of the primitive bodies in the solar system is presented elsewhere (Lamy & Toth 2009). …”

Section: The Properties Of the Nucleimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Properties of the nuclei and comae of 13 ecliptic comets from Hubble Space Telescope snapshot observations

Lamy

Tóth

Weaver

et al. 2009

A&A

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Context. Knowledge of the size distribution of cometary nuclei and, more generally, of their physical properties is important for constraining models of the formation and evolution of the Solar System. Aims. We report on our on-going effort to determine the ensemble properties of comets based on our success in detecting the nuclei of active comets with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Methods. During cycle 8 (July 1999 to June 2000), we observed 13 ecliptic comets with the planetary camera 2 through at least two filters (V and R) and up to four (B, V, R, I) for the brightest ones. The ∼30 min of HST observational time devoted to each comet did not permit a proper determination of light curves, so our "snapshot" observations yield effective radii, not shapes. In our present sample, eight out of thirteen nuclei have sub-kilometer radii. The average color of the observed nuclei is (V − R) = 0.52 ± 0.04, which is significantly redder than the Sun. We determined the dust activity parameter A f ρ of their coma in the R band, and estimated the dust production rates. The average reflectivity gradient of the dust comae of six comets is S [670, 792 nm] = 15.2 ± 2.3% per kÅ.

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Section: The Properties Of the Nucleimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Note that the nucleus of the recently captured comet 59P/Kearns-Kwee is quite red, but not the reddest. The reader is directed to the article by Lamy & Toth (2009) for an extended discussion of the colors of cometary nuclei in comparison with other primitive bodies of the solar system.…”

Section: Colors Of the Nucleimentioning

confidence: 99%

Properties of the nuclei and comae of 13 ecliptic comets from Hubble Space Telescope snapshot observations

Lamy

Tóth

Weaver

et al. 2009

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“…Large (diameters 10 km) Hilda asteriods have a range of V − R colors, 0.38-0.49 (Dahlgren et al 1998), which is similar to those colors of comets (Hainaut & Delsanti 2002). In particular, ecliptic comets (ECs) span the same narrow range of V − R (Lamy & Toth 2009) as the Hildas and are thought to have originated as outer solar system Centaurs which were subsequently scattered into the inner solar system due to gravitational interactions with Jupiter. C-type asteroids in the outer asteroid belt also inhabit this range of color space.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

ALBEDOS OF SMALL HILDA GROUP ASTEROIDS AS REVEALED BYSPITZER

Ryan

Woodward

2011

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We present thermal 24 μm observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope of 62 Hilda asteroid group members with diameters ranging from 3 to 12 km. Measurements of the thermal emission, when combined with reported absolute magnitudes, allow us to constrain the albedo and diameter of each object. From our Spitzer sample, we find the mean geometric albedo, p V = 0.07 ± 0.05, for small (D < 10 km) Hilda group asteroids. This Spitzer-derived value of p V is greater than and spans a larger range in albedo space than the mean albedo of large (D 10 km) Hilda group asteroids which is p V = 0.04 ± 0.01. Though this difference may be attributed to space weathering, the small Hilda group population reportedly displays greater taxonomic range from C-, D-, and X-type whose albedo distributions are commensurate with the range of determined albedos. We discuss the derived Hilda size-frequency distribution, color-color space, and geometric albedo for our survey sample in the context of the expected migration induced "seeding" of the Hilda asteroid group with outer solar system proto-planetesimals as outlined in the "Nice" formalism.

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“…At visible wavelengths, the addition of colorless ice to otherwise dark organic material can dramatically increase the redness as well as the reflectance, if they are mixed at spatial scales of the order of the wavelength or less (Grundy & Stansberry 2003;Grundy 2009). The behavior of such mixtures suggests a resolution to the dilemma posed by the inconsistent behavior of the colors and albedos of trans-neptunian objects (TNOs), Centaurs, and ecliptic comet (EC) nuclei (e.g., Jewitt 2002;Lamy & Toth 2009). In fact, although these objects are thought to be genetically linked, much redder colors and higher albedos are found among TNOs and Centaurs than among the EC nuclei (Doressoundiram et al 2008), culminating in consistently red colors and high albedos among dynamically cold classical belt TNOs.…”

Section: Sub-micron Organic Particles and Their Possible Influence Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organic materials in planetary and protoplanetary systems: nature or nurture?

Ore

Fulchignoni

Cruikshank

et al. 2011

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Aims. The objective of this work is to summarize the discussion of a workshop aimed at investigating the properties, origins, and evolution of the materials that are responsible for the red coloration of the small objects in the outer parts of the solar system. Because of limitations or inconsistencies in the observations and, until recently, the limited availability of laboratory data, there are still many questions on the subject. Our goal is to approach two of the main questions in a systematic way: -Is coloring an original signature of materials that are presolar in origin ("nature") or stems from post-formational chemical alteration, or weathering ("nurture")? -What is the chemical signature of the material that causes spectra to be sloped towards the red in the visible? We examine evidence available both from the laboratory and from observations sampling different parts of the solar system and circumstellar regions (disks). Methods. We present a compilation of brief summaries gathered during the workshop and describe the evidence towards a primordial vs. evolutionary origin for the material that reddens the small objects in the outer parts of our, as well as in other, planetary systems. We proceed by first summarizing laboratory results followed by observational data collected at various distances from the Sun. Results. While laboratory experiments show clear evidence of irradiation effects, particularly from ion bombardment, the first obstacle often resides in the ability to unequivocally identify the organic material in the observations. The lack of extended spectral data of good quality and resolution is at the base of this problem. Furthermore, that both mechanisms, weathering and presolar, act on the icy materials in a spectroscopically indistinguishable way makes our goal of defining the impact of each mechanism challenging. Conclusions. Through a review of some of the workshop presentations and discussions, encompassing laboratory experiments as well as observational data, we infer that both "nature" and "nurture" are instrumental in the coloration of small objects in the outer parts Article published by EDP Sciences A98, page 1 of 14 A&A 533, A98 (2011) of the solar system. While in the case of some observations it is clear that the organic reddening material originated before the solar nebula (i.e. presolar grains found in meteorites), for many other cases pointers are not as clear and indicate a concurrence of both processes.

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The colors of cometary nuclei—Comparison with other primitive bodies of the Solar System and implications for their origin

Cited by 62 publications

References 149 publications

Properties of the nuclei and comae of 13 ecliptic comets from Hubble Space Telescope snapshot observations

Properties of the nuclei and comae of 13 ecliptic comets from Hubble Space Telescope snapshot observations

ALBEDOS OF SMALL HILDA GROUP ASTEROIDS AS REVEALED BYSPITZER

Organic materials in planetary and protoplanetary systems: nature or nurture?

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