A Study of the Nuclei of Selected Comets

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Dr. Campins at the Planetary Science Institute of SAI Corporation will use this grant to continue a study of the properties of the nuclei of Earth-approaching comets. This study involves a new observational approach which proved very successful in recent work on Comets Neujmin 1 and Arend-Rigaux. These observations will yield size, albedo, color, approximate shape, and rotational characteristics of the nuclei of seven comets. Knowledge of the physical properties of comet nuclei for a large sample of comets will allow general conclusions to be drawn about the processes that create these properties, about the relationship between comets and other minor bodies in the Solar System, and about the role that comets play in the cratering processes on planets.