Abstract
Charge exchange (CX) between highly charged ions and neutrals within the geocorona and heliosphere introduces a problematic background for every X-ray observation. For H-like ions the
ℓ
...states within each
n
shell are degenerate. The majority of CX spectral models rely on calculated
n
-resolved cross sections, and the distribution of
ℓ
states is assumed to follow one of several analytical expressions. Laboratory data to validate these distributions at solar wind velocities is not available. Explicitly velocity-dependent calculations of
n
ℓ
-resolved CX cross sections using the time-dependent lattice (TDL) method for Ne
10+
incident on atomic H and He at 1–5 keV amu
−1
are reported. The cross sections are incorporated into a radiative cascade model, and the influence of
n
- and
n
ℓ
-resolved cross sections on possibly diagnostic emission line ratios is investigated. Comparisons of the
ℓ
distribution extracted from the TDL cross sections to the predominantly used analytical distributions reveals a consensus among
n
and
n
ℓ
-resolved data at solar wind velocities, suggesting a statistical distribution is most appropriate for CX collisions involving atomic H. No consensus is found for atomic He targets, and the
ℓ
distribution extracted from
n
ℓ
-resolved cross sections appears most appropriate. Open questions related to CX are discussed with emphasis on experimental methods to resolve them. Spectral measurements at an electron beam ion trap facility are planned to benchmark the presented cross section data.
Geomorphology of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko Birch, Samuel P. D; Tang, Y; Hayes, A. G ...
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
07/2017, Volume:
469, Issue:
Suppl_2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Abstract
We present a global geomorphological map of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (67P/C-G) using data acquired by the Rosetta Orbiter’s OSIRIS Narrow Angle Camera. The images used in our study ...were acquired between 2014 August and 2015 May, before 67P/C-G passed through perihelion. Imagery of the Southern hemisphere was included in our study, allowing us to compare the contrasting hemispheres of 67P/C-G in a single study. Our work also puts into greater context the morphologies studied in previous works, and also the morphologies observed on previously visited cometary nuclei. Relative to other nuclei, 67P/C-G appears most similar to 81P/Wild 2, with a topographically heterogeneous surface dominated by smooth-floored pits. Our mapping describes the landscapes of 67P/C-G when they were first observed by Rosetta, and our map can be used to detect changes in surface morphologies after its perihelion passage. Our mapping reveals strong latitudinal dependences for emplaced units and a highly heterogeneous surface. Layered bedrock units that represent the exposed nucleus of 67P/C-G are dominant at southern latitudes, while topographically smooth, dust covered regions dominate the Northern hemisphere. Equatorial latitudes are dominated by smooth terrain units that show evidence for flow structures. We observe no obvious differences between the comet’s two lobes, with the only longitudinal variations being the Imhotep and Hatmehit basins. These correlations suggest a strong seasonal forcing on the surface evolution of 67P/C-G, where materials are transported from the Southern hemisphere to Northern hemisphere basins over multiple orbital time-scales.
ABSTRACT
A new CO$^+$ fluorescence emission model for analysing cometary spectra is presented herein. Accurate line lists are produced using the PGOPHER software for all transitions between the three ...electronic states (X $^2\Sigma$, A $^2\Pi$, B $^2\Sigma$) with vibrational states up to $v_\textrm {max} = 9, 8, 6$, respectively, and maximum rotational states with rotational quantum numbers $N\le 20$. As a result of improved molecular constants and theoretical transition rates, an expansion of the utilized solar spectrum into the infrared, and the substantial expansion of the included rovibronic states, the model provides an update of the fluorescence efficiencies of the CO$^+$ cation. The dependencies on heliocentric velocity and distance are explicitly included. We report, for the first time, quantification of the fluorescence efficiencies for the ground state rovibrational transitions of CO$^+$ and predict the positions and relative intensities of CO$^+$ lines in windows accessible to both ground- and space-based observatories. The computed fluorescence efficiencies show excellent agreement with UV/optical observations of both C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS) and 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1. The updated fluorescence efficiencies allow for revised N$_2$/CO abundances for comets 1P/Halley, C/1987 P1 (Bradfield), and C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS), which can change by up to 30 per cent when accounting for recent improvements to CO$^+$ and N$_2^+$ fluorescence efficiencies. The model code, input files, and fluorescence efficiencies are publicly available and distributed on permanent archives for future uses in cometary analyses.
Context.
Hyperactive comets are a small group of comets whose activity is higher than expected. They seem to emit more water than would normally be expected given the size of their nucleus. Comet ...46P/Wirtanen (hereafter, 46P) is among these objects of interest. Investigating its activity and composition evolution could provide clues about its origins and its formation region in the Solar nebulae.
Aims.
Given the exceptional close approach of comet 46P to the Earth in 2018, we aim to study the evolution of its activity and composition as a function of heliocentric distances before and after perihelion.
Methods.
We used both TRAPPIST telescopes to monitor the comet for almost a year with broad and narrow-band filters. We derived the production rates of five gaseous species (OH, NH, CN, C
3
, and C
2
) using a Haser model as well as the A(
θ
)f
ρ
dust proxy parameter. The comet was also observed with the two optical high-resolution spectrographs UVES and ESPRESSO, mounted on the 8-m ESO VLT, to measure the isotopic ratios of C and N, along with the oxygen forbidden-line ratios and the NH
2
ortho-to-para ratios.
Results.
Over nearly a year, we followed the rise and decline of the production rates of different species as well as the dust activity of 46P on both pre- and post-perihelion. Relative abundances with respect to CN and OH along the orbit of the comet show constant and symmetric abundance ratios and a typical coma composition. We determined the rotation period of the nucleus using high-cadence observations and long series of CN images on several nights. We obtained a value of (9.18±0.05) hours at perihelion. Using the high-resolution spectra of 46P coma, we derived C and N isotopic ratios of 100±20 and 150±30 as well as a green-to-red forbidden oxygen OI line ratio of 0.23±0.02. We measured a NH
2
ortho-to-para ratio of 3.31 ±0.03 and derived an ammonia ratio of 1.19±0.03, corresponding to a spin temperature of 27±1 K.
Conclusions.
Narrow-band observations show that comet 46P is a hyperactive comet for which 40% of its nucleus surface is active. It has a typical composition, similar to other normal comets; however, an asymmetric behavior with respect to perihelion has been seen in its activity, which is typical of seasonal effects. Photometric measurements show no evidence for a change in the rotation period of the nucleus during this apparition. High-resolution spectra show that 46P has typical NH
2
ortho-to-para, OI lines ratios, and C and N isotopic ratios.
Both heliophysics and planetary physics seek to understand the complex nature of the solar wind's interaction with solar system obstacles like Earth's magnetosphere, the ionospheres of Venus and ...Mars, and comets. Studies with this objective are frequently conducted with the help of single or multipoint in situ electromagnetic field and particle observations, guided by the predictions of both local and global numerical simulations, and placed in context by observations from far and extreme ultraviolet (FUV, EUV), hard X-ray, and energetic neutral atom imagers (ENA). Each proposed interaction mechanism (e.g., steady or transient magnetic reconnection, local or global magnetic reconnection, ion pick-up, or the Kelvin- Helmholtz instability) generates diagnostic plasma density structures. The significance of each mechanism to the overall interaction (as measured in terms of atmospheric/ionospheric loss at comets, Venus, and Mars or global magnetospheric/ionospheric convection at Earth) remains to be determined but can be evaluated on the basis of how often the density signatures that it generates are observed as a function of solar wind conditions. This paper reviews efforts to image the diagnostic plasma density structures in the soft (low energy, 0.1-2.0 keV) X-rays produced when high charge state solar wind ions exchange electrons with the exospheric neutrals surrounding solar system obstacles.
We studied the dissociation reactions of electron impact on water vapor for several fragment species at optical and near-ultraviolet wavelengths (200-850 nm). The resulting spectrum is dominated by ...the hydrogen Balmer series, by the OH (A 2 + − X 2 ) band, and by the emission of ionic H2O+(A 2A1 − X 2B1) and OH+(A 3 − X 3 −) band systems. Emission cross sections and reaction channel thresholds were determined for energies between 5 and 100 eV. We find that the electron impact dissociation of H2O results in an emission spectrum of the OH (A 2 + − X 2 ) band that is distinctly different from the emission spectra from other excitation mechanisms seen in planetary astronomy. We attribute the change to a strongly non-thermal population of rotational states seen in planetary astronomy. This difference can be utilized for remote probing of the contribution of different physical reactions in astrophysical environments.
We used the Ultraviolet-Optical Telescope on board Swift to observe the dynamically young comet C/2009 PI (Garradd) from a heliocentric distance of 3.5 AU pre-perihelion until 4.0 AU outbound. At 3.5 ...AU pre-perihelion, comet Garradd had one of the highest dust-to-gas ratios ever observed, matched only by comet Hale-Bopp. The evolving morphology of the dust in its coma suggests an outburst that ended around 2.2 AU pre-perihelion. Comparing slit-based measurements and observations acquired with larger fields of view indicated that between 3 AU and 2 AU pre-perihelion a significant extended source started producing water in the coma. We demonstrate that this source, which could be due to icy grains, disappeared quickly around perihelion. Water production by the nucleus may be attributed to a constantly active source of at least 75 km super(2), estimated to be >20% of the surface. Based on our measurements, the comet lost 4 x 10 super(11) kg of ice and dust during this apparition, corresponding to at most a few meters of its surface. Even though this was likely not the comet's first passage through the inner solar system, the activity of Garradd was complex and changed significantly during the time it was observed.
► Tempel 1 has two types of terrain, rough pitted and smoother, flow-like materials. ► The smooth materials are collected in low regions. ► Changes observed between the Deep Impact and Stardust-NExT ...encounters involve scarp retreat. ► Timescales for formation of the surface’s topography appear to be tens to perhaps hundreds of orbits.
The nucleus of comet Tempel 1 has been investigated at close range during two spacecraft missions separated by one comet orbit of the Sun, 5½years. The combined imaging covers ∼70% of the surface of this object which has a mean radius of 2.83±0.1km. The surface can be divided into two terrain types: rough, pitted terrain and smoother regions of varying local topography. The rough surface has round depressions from resolution limits (∼10m/pixel) up to ∼1km across, spanning forms from crisp steep-walled pits, to subtle albedo rings, to topographic rings, with all ranges of morphologic gradation. Three gravitationally low regions of the comet have smoother terrain, parts of which appear to be deposits from minimally modified flows, with other parts likely to be heavily eroded portions of multiple layer piles. Changes observed between the two missions are primarily due to backwasting of scarps bounding one of these probable flow deposits. This style of erosion is also suggested by remnant mesa forms in other areas of smoother terrain. The two distinct terrains suggest either an evolutionary change in processes, topographically-controlled processes, or a continuing interaction of erosion and deposition.
We observed asteroid (596) Scheila and its ejecta cloud using the Swift UV-optical telescope. We obtained photometry of the nucleus and the ejecta, and for the first time measured the asteroid's ...reflection spectrum between 290 and 500 nm. Our measurements indicate significant reddening at UV wavelengths (13% per 103 A) and a possible broad, unidentified absorption feature around 380 nm. Our measurements indicate that the outburst has not permanently increased the asteroid's brightness. We did not detect any of the gases that are typically associated with either hypervolatile activity thought responsible for cometary outbursts (CO+, CO2 +), or for any volatiles excavated with the dust (OH, NH, CN, C2, C3). We estimate that 6 X 108 kg of dust was released with a high ejection velocity of 57 m s--1 (assuming 1 Delta *mm sized particles). While the asteroid is red in color and the ejecta have the same color as the Sun, we suggest that the dust does not contain any ice. Based on our observations, we conclude that (596) Scheila was most likely impacted by another main belt asteroid less than 100 m in diameter.
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