Early Solar System Objects: Testing Solar System Formation Models

天文学家最近发现了“马岛”彗星，即轨道在太阳系中更远的彗星，但当它们在轨道上最接近太阳时，不会释放出气体和尘埃。新的模型表明，它们可能是在太阳系内部形成的物体，在太阳系形成时被迫进入太阳系的外部。一些马岛彗星的光谱特征与内太阳系中最常见的小行星相似。这使得天文学家认为马恩岛彗星是来自太阳系内部的新鲜物质。研究人员将通过望远镜对马恩岛彗星进行成像和光谱研究，以观察彗星周围可能存在的成分和任何尘埃或气体。这些观测可以帮助天文学家了解早期太阳系是如何形成的。这项研究通过增加我们对太阳系如何形成以及在与太阳不同距离形成的物质的了解，为国家利益服务。调查人员参与了许多教育推广工作，包括夏威夷创新倡议的创新数据可视化，以及檀香山K - 12资产学校的实习生。为了对太阳系的模型施加严格的约束，研究人员将研究新发现的“马岛”彗星，即具有长周期轨道但在近日点很少或没有活动的彗星。这些观测结果表明，这些物体可能是在早期行星迁移期间被喷射到外太阳系奥尔特云中的物体。其中一个天体的光度测定表明，它与主导内太阳系的s型复杂小行星相似，但它也在释放气体，这表明马恩岛彗星可能代表了新的内太阳系物质。这些研究包括马恩岛天体的光度测定和光谱学，通过反射光谱学来确定它们的表面成分，马恩岛彗星的深度图像足够明亮，可以确定可能存在的昏迷数量，搜索过去探测到的马恩岛彗星的旧存档数据，以及建立模型来确定冰升华。对许多马恩岛彗星的观测可以区分太阳系动力学模型。如果存在s型光谱的活动天体，那么马恩岛彗星可能代表在太阳系水冰线附近形成的原始物质。研究人员通过一对一的指导、开发新课程、将研究和实践科学整合到课程中，以及与夏威夷创新计划一起探索创新的数据可视化，参与培训STEM领域的下一代科学家。该团队目前正在与檀香山的K - 12资产学校合作开展实习项目，并将把马恩彗星的工作纳入该项目。

Astronomers have recently discovered "Manx" comets, or comets that have orbits that go farther out in the Solar System, but do not send out gas and dust when they get closest to the Sun in their orbits. New models suggest that they could be objects that formed in the inner Solar System and were forced into the outer part of the Solar System when the Solar System was forming. Spectral signatures of some Manx comets are like those of the most common asteroids in the inner Solar System. This leads astronomers to think that the Manx comets are fresh material from the inner Solar System. The investigators will study the Manx comets through using telescopes to image and take spectra of the comets to look at composition and any dust or gas that could be present around the objects. These observations can help astronomers learn how the early Solar System formed. This research serves the national interest by increasing our knowledge about how our Solar System formed and what materials formed at different distances from the Sun. The investigators participate in many educational outreach efforts, including innovative data visualization with the Hawaii Innovation initiative, and including interns from the K - 12 Assets School in Honolulu.In an effort to place firm constraints on models of the Solar System, the investigators will study the newly-discovered "Manx" comets, or comets that have long-period orbits but have little or no activity at perihelion. These observations suggest that these might be objects that were ejected into the Oort Cloud in the outer Solar System during early planet migration. Photometry of one object suggests that it is similar to the S-complex asteroids that dominate the inner Solar System, but it is also outgassing, suggesting that the Manx comets might represent fresh inner Solar System material. These studies include photometry and spectroscopy of the Manx objects to determine their surface compositions from reflectance spectroscopy, deep images of Manx comets that are sufficiently bright to determine any amount of coma that might be present, a search of old archived data for past detections of Manx comets, and modeling to determine ice sublimation. Observations of many Manx comets could distinguish between Solar System dynamical models. If there are active objects with S-type spectra, the Manx comets could represent primitive material that formed near the Solar System water-ice line. The investigators participate in efforts to train the next generation of scientists in STEM fields through one-on-one mentoring, development of new courses, integration of research and hands-on science into courses, and exploring innovative data visualization with the Hawaii Innovation initiative. The team is currently partnering with the K - 12 Assets School in Honolulu in their intern program, and will incorporate the Manx comet work into this program.