The nucleus of comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Dale P. Cruikshank; Robert Hamilton Brown

doi:10.1016/0019-1035(83)90158-6

The nucleus of comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Dale P. Cruikshank, Robert Hamilton Brown

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

The thermal flux in the 20-μm Q filter band of comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 was measured some 77 days after the most recent previous eruption, and when the visual magnitude was about 17.6. Considerations of the eruptive history of the comet, and in particular its tendency to fade to a minimum threshold brightness level between eruptions, suggest that the measurement refers to an essentially bare nucleus. Using the standard photometric/radiometric technique for calculating the diameters and geometric albedos of asteroids and planetary satellites, and the assumption that the bare nucleus is measured, we find that the diameter of the nucleus is 40±5 km, and the geometric albedo is 0.13±0.04.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	377-380
Number of pages	4
Journal	Icarus
Volume	56
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(83)90158-6
State	Published - Dec 1983
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1016/0019-1035(83)90158-6

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title = "The nucleus of comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1",

abstract = "The thermal flux in the 20-μm Q filter band of comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 was measured some 77 days after the most recent previous eruption, and when the visual magnitude was about 17.6. Considerations of the eruptive history of the comet, and in particular its tendency to fade to a minimum threshold brightness level between eruptions, suggest that the measurement refers to an essentially bare nucleus. Using the standard photometric/radiometric technique for calculating the diameters and geometric albedos of asteroids and planetary satellites, and the assumption that the bare nucleus is measured, we find that the diameter of the nucleus is 40±5 km, and the geometric albedo is 0.13±0.04.",

author = "Cruikshank, {Dale P.} and {Hamilton Brown}, Robert",

note = "Funding Information: Visiting astronomer at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facihty, which Is operated by the Umversity of Hawaii under contract with the National AeronauUcs and Space Administration",

year = "1983",

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doi = "10.1016/0019-1035(83)90158-6",

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T1 - The nucleus of comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

AU - Cruikshank, Dale P.

AU - Hamilton Brown, Robert

N1 - Funding Information: Visiting astronomer at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facihty, which Is operated by the Umversity of Hawaii under contract with the National AeronauUcs and Space Administration

PY - 1983/12

Y1 - 1983/12

N2 - The thermal flux in the 20-μm Q filter band of comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 was measured some 77 days after the most recent previous eruption, and when the visual magnitude was about 17.6. Considerations of the eruptive history of the comet, and in particular its tendency to fade to a minimum threshold brightness level between eruptions, suggest that the measurement refers to an essentially bare nucleus. Using the standard photometric/radiometric technique for calculating the diameters and geometric albedos of asteroids and planetary satellites, and the assumption that the bare nucleus is measured, we find that the diameter of the nucleus is 40±5 km, and the geometric albedo is 0.13±0.04.

AB - The thermal flux in the 20-μm Q filter band of comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 was measured some 77 days after the most recent previous eruption, and when the visual magnitude was about 17.6. Considerations of the eruptive history of the comet, and in particular its tendency to fade to a minimum threshold brightness level between eruptions, suggest that the measurement refers to an essentially bare nucleus. Using the standard photometric/radiometric technique for calculating the diameters and geometric albedos of asteroids and planetary satellites, and the assumption that the bare nucleus is measured, we find that the diameter of the nucleus is 40±5 km, and the geometric albedo is 0.13±0.04.

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The nucleus of comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Abstract

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