| 1. |
- Meech, K. J., et al.
(författare)
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EPOXI: Comet 103P/Hartley 2 Observations from a Worldwide Campaign
- 2011
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - London : IOP. - 2041-8213 .- 2041-8205. ; 734:L1, s. 1-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Earth- and space-based observations provide synergistic information for space mission encounters by providing data over longer timescales, at different wavelengths and using techniques that are impossible with an in situ flyby. We report here such observations in support of the EPOXI spacecraft flyby of comet 103P/Hartley 2. The nucleus is small and dark, and exhibited a very rapidly changing rotation period. Prior to the onset of activity, the period was ~16.4?hr. Starting in 2010 August the period changed from 16.6?hr to near 19?hr in December. With respect to dust composition, most volatiles and carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, the comet is similar to other Jupiter-family comets. What is unusual is the dominance of CO 2 -driven activity near perihelion, which likely persists out to aphelion. Near perihelion the comet nucleus was surrounded by a large halo of water-ice grains that contributed significantly to the total water production.
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| 2. |
- Snodgrass, C., et al.
(författare)
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The 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko observation campaign in support of the Rosetta mission
- 2017
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Ingår i: Philosophical Transactions. Series A. - : The Royal Society. - 1364-503X .- 1471-2962. ; 375:2097
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a summary of the campaign of remote observations that supported the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission. Telescopes across the globe (and in space) followed comet 67P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko from before Rosetta's arrival until nearly the end of the mission in September 2016. These provided essential data for mission planning, large-scale context information for the coma and tails beyond the spacecraft and a way to directly compare 67P with other comets. The observations revealed 67P to be a relatively 'well-behaved' comet, typical of Jupiter family comets and with activity patterns that repeat from orbit to orbit. Comparison between this large collection of telescopic observations and the in situ results from Rosetta will allow us to better understand comet coma chemistry and structure. This work is just beginning as the mission ends-in this paper, we present a summary of the ground-based observations and early results, and point to many questions that will be addressed in future studies. This article is part of the themed issue 'Cometary science after Rosetta'.
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| 3. |
- Hartogh, P., et al.
(författare)
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HIFI observations of water in the atmosphere of comet C/2008 Q3 (Garradd)
- 2010
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 518:Article Number: L150
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High-resolution far-infrared and sub-millimetre spectroscopy of water lines is an important tool to understand the physical and chemical properties of cometary atmospheres. We present observations of several rotational ortho- and para-water transitions in comet C/2008 Q3 (Garradd) performed with HIFI on Herschel. These observations have provided the first detection of the 2(12)-1(01) (1669 GHz) ortho and 1(11)-0(00) (1113 GHz) para transitions of water in a cometary spectrum. In addition, the ground-state transition 1(10)-1(01) at 557 GHz is detected and mapped. By detecting several water lines quasi-simultaneously and mapping their emission we can constrain the excitation parameters in the coma. Synthetic line profiles are computed using excitation models which include excitation by collisions, solar infrared radiation, and radiation trapping. We obtain the gas kinetic temperature, constrain the electron density profile, and estimate the coma expansion velocity by analyzing the map and line shapes. We derive water production rates of 1.7-2.8 x 10(28) s(-1) over the range r(h) = 1.83-1.85 AU.
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| 4. |
- Groenewegen, M. A. T., et al.
(författare)
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MESS (Mass-loss of Evolved StarS), a Herschel key program
- 2011
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 526, s. A162-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- MESS (Mass-loss of Evolved StarS) is a guaranteed time key program that uses the PACS and SPIRE instruments on board the Herschel space observatory to observe a representative sample of evolved stars, that include asymptotic giant branch (AGB) and post-AGB stars, planetary nebulae and red supergiants, as well as luminous blue variables, Wolf-Rayet stars and supernova remnants. In total, of order 150 objects are observed in imaging and about 50 objects in spectroscopy. This paper describes the target selection and target list, and the observing strategy. Key science projects are described, and illustrated using results obtained during Herschel's science demonstration phase. Aperture photometry is given for the 70 AGB and post-AGB stars observed up to October 17, 2010, which constitutes the largest single uniform database of far-IR and sub-mm fluxes for late-type stars.
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| 5. |
- Ostensen, R, et al.
(författare)
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ESO & NOT photometric monitoring of the Cloverleaf quasar
- 1997
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Ingår i: ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES. - : E D P SCIENCES. - 0365-0138. ; 126:3, s. 393-400
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Cloverleaf quasar, H1413+117, has been photometrically monitored at ESO (La Silla, Chile) and with the NOT (La Palma, Spain) during the period 1987-1994. All good quality CCD frames have been successfully analysed using two independent methods (i.e. a
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| 6. |
- Rousselot, P., et al.
(författare)
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Search for water outgassing of (1) Ceres near perihelion
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 628
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. (1) Ceres is the largest body in the main asteroid belt and one of the most intriguing objects in the solar system, in part because of the discovery of water outgassing by the Herschel Space Observatory (HSO) and its still-debated origin. Ceres was the target of NASA's Dawn spacecraft for 3.5 yr, which achieved a detailed characterization of the dwarf planet. The possible influence of the local flux of solar energetic particles (SEP) on the production of a Cerean exosphere and water vapor has been suggested, in addition to the sublimation of water ice that depends on the temperature, meaning the heliocentric distance. Aims. We used the opportunity of both the perihelion passage of (1) Ceres in April 2018, and the presence of Dawn in its vicinity (for measuring the SEP flux in real time) to check the influence of heliocentric distance and SEP flux on water outgassing. Methods. We searched for OH emission lines near the limb of Ceres in the near-UV with the UVES spectrograph mounted on the 8-m ESO Very Large Telescope. Two spectra were recorded when Ceres was close to its perihelion, in February 2018, and with Dawn spacecraft orbiting Ceres. It was possible to simultaneously measure energetic particles around Ceres at the time of our observations. Results. Our observations did not permit detection of OH emission lines to a very high sensitivity level. This level is estimated to correspond to a global water production rate of QH2O ∼ 2 × 1026 molecules s-1, similar to the water production rate derived from HSO observations. The solar energetic particles flux measured around Ceres was negligible at the time of these observations. Conclusions. Our observations support the idea that heliocentric distance (i.e., the sublimation of water ice) does not play a major role in the water emission from Ceres. This production rate could be either related to SEP events or to other mechanisms, possibly of endogenic origin.
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