Journal Article

Observations of Comet 19P/Borrelly by the Miniature Integrated Camera and Spectrometer Aboard Deep Space 1

Buratti, B. J., Hicks, M. D., Isbell, C., Howington-Kraus, E., Kirk, R. L., Hare, T., Thomas, N., Bennett, G., Boice, D. C., Britt, D. T., Rayman, M. D., Sandel, B. R., Brown, R. H., Oberst, J., Becker, T. L., Owen, T. C., Lee, M., Giese, B., Nelson, R. M., Yelle, R. V., Stern, S. A., Soderblom, L. A.

2002

Overview

The nucleus of the Jupiter-family comet 19P/Borrelly was closely observed by the Miniature Integrated Camera and Spectrometer aboard the Deep Space 1 spacecraft on 22 September 2001. The 8-kilometer-long body is highly variegated on a scale of 200 meters, exhibiting large albedo variations (0.01 to 0.03) and complex geologic relationships. Short-wavelength infrared spectra (1.3 to 2.6 micrometers) show a slope toward the red and a hot, dry surface (≤345 kelvin, with no trace of water ice or hydrated minerals), consistent with ∼10% or less of the surface actively sublimating. Borrelly's coma exhibits two types of dust features: fans and highly collimated jets. At encounter, the near-nucleus coma was dominated by a prominent dust jet that resolved into at least three smaller jets emanating from a broad basin in the middle of the nucleus. Because the major dust jet remained fixed in orientation, it is evidently aligned near the rotation axis of the nucleus.

• Publisher: American Society for the Advancement of Science,American Association for the Advancement of Science,The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subject: Albedo / Astronomy / ATP binding cassette transporters / Cameras / Carbon - analysis / Collimation / Cometary comas / Comets / Cosmic Dust / Cosmology / Deep space / Earth, ocean, space / Exact sciences and technology / Hydrocarbons - analysis / Interplanetary space / Meteoroids / Mica / Solar system / Space ships / Space vehicles / Spacecraft / Spectrometers / Spectrum Analysis / Sun / Temperature / Topography / Water