Investigation of Cometary Activity at Large Heliocentric Distances

人们经常认为，首次进入内太阳系附近的轨道上的彗星可能在组成上与周期彗星不同。具体地说，这些所谓的“奥尔特彗星”可能有更多的冰，比水冰更易挥发。“新鲜”彗星和周期彗星之间的成分差异可能表明奥尔特彗星更原始，因此更能代表它们形成时的条件。这一研究项目将集中力量调查奥尔特彗星样本在大范围日心距离上的组成和活动。对远距离彗星的观测将与各种冰的升华模型进行比较，以了解奥尔特彗星在远距离的活动类型。在小到中等日心距离的观测将被用来帮助约束升华模型中使用的参数。此外，对这些彗星的持续观测将使轨道保持最新，这样就可以在极大的日心距离处观察到它们。这笔赠款是妇女研究机会(ROW)计划下的研究启动奖。

It has often been suggested that comets which are in orbits that bring them into the vicinity of the inner Solar System for the first time may be compositionally different from periodic comets. Specifically, these so called "Oort comets" may have a larger abundance of ices which are more volatile than water ice. Compositional differences between "fresh" and periodic comets could suggest that the Oort comets are more primitive and therefore more representative of the conditions at the time of their formation. This research project will focus a concerted effort on the investigation of the composition and activity of a sample of Oort comets over a large range of heliocentric distances. Observations of comets at large distances will be compared to sublimation models for various ices in order to understand the type of activity found in Oort comets at large distances. Observations at small to moderate heliocentric distances will be used to help constrain the parameters used in the sublimation models. In addition, the continued observations of these comets will keep the orbits current so that they may be observed to extremely large heliocentric distances. This grant is a Research Initiation Award under the Research Opportunities for Women (ROW) program.