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Infrared spectrophotometry of Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983d) - A bare nucleus revealed?Spectra of the central core and surrounding coma of Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983d) were obtained at 8-13 microns on May 11 and 2-4 microns on May 12, 1983. Spatially resolved measurements at 10 microns with a 4-arcsec beam showed that the central core was more than 100 times brighter than the inner coma only 8 arcsec away; for radially outflowing dust, the brightness ratio would be a factor of 8. The observations of the central core are consistent with direct detection of a nucleus having a radius of approximately 5 km. The temperature of the sunlit hemisphere was greater than 300 K. Spectra of the core are featureless, while spectra of the coma suggest weak silicate emission. The spectra show no evidence for icy grains. The dust production rate on May 11.4 was about 100,000 g/sec, assuming that the gas flux from the dust-producing areas on the nucleus was about 0.00001 g/sq cm per sec.
Document ID
19850053936
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Hanner, M. S.
(California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA, United States)
Aitken, D. K.
(Melbourne University Parkville, Victoria, Australia)
Knacke, R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Mccorkle, S.
(New York, State University Stony Brook, NY; Hawaii, University, Mauna Kea, HI, United States)
Roche, P. F.
(Anglo-Australian Observatory Epping, New South Wales, Australia)
Tokunaga, A. T.
(Hawaii, University Honolulu and Mauna Kea, HI, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: Icarus
Volume: 62
ISSN: 0019-1035
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
85A36087
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NASW-3159
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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