EPOXI at Comet Hartley 2

2011/06/17 by Michael F. A’Hearn, M. J. S. Belton, W. A. Delamere +31 · 5 citations
Environmental Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Isotope Analysis in Ecology #Planetary Science and Exploration

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1204054

openalex publication_date 2011/06/17 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Understanding how comets work--what drives their activity--is crucial to the use of comets in studying the early solar system. EPOXI (Extrasolar Planet Observation and Deep Impact Extended Investigation) flew past comet 103P/Hartley 2, one with an unusually small but very active nucleus, taking both images and spectra. Unlike large, relatively inactive nuclei, this nucleus is outgassing primarily because of CO(2), which drags chunks of ice out of the nucleus. It also shows substantial differences in the relative abundance of volatiles from various parts of the nucleus.

Cited by

• The proposed Caroline ESA M3 mission to a Main Belt Comet
• Observations of a dust tail gap in comet C/2014 Q1 (PanSTARRS)
• Evidence for fresh frost layer on the bare nucleus of comet Hale--Bopp at 32 AU distance
• NEOWISE: Observations of the Irregular Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn
• 103P/Hartley [wikipedia]