A physical survey of Centaurs
There are forty four known small planetary bodies with orbits that are contained within the heliocentric distances of Jupiter and Neptune. It is thought that the origin of these bodies is the Kuiper Belt, the predicted reservoir of the current short period comet population. Yet, only two bodies, Chi...
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ndltd-UHAWAII-oai-scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu-10125-8542013-01-08T11:09:33ZA physical survey of CentaursBauer, James MonieCentaursPlanetaryCometsAsteroidsKuiper beltAstronomyAstrophysicsThere are forty four known small planetary bodies with orbits that are contained within the heliocentric distances of Jupiter and Neptune. It is thought that the origin of these bodies is the Kuiper Belt, the predicted reservoir of the current short period comet population. Yet, only two bodies, Chiron and C/NEAT (2001 T4), have been shown to possess a visible coma. We've undertaken an observational survey of these bodies to obtain detailed characterization of the physical properties of the Centaurs to search for evidence of activity, and to use the physical characteristics to make inferences about primordial conditions in the outer solar nebula and evolutionary processes among different dynamical regimes in the outer nebula. We present the results of optical observations of 24 Centaurs, which yield a 3-σ correlation of color with semimajor axis, with redder Centaurs being farther from the Sun. The survey also revealed the rotation light curve period for 2 Centaurs, and the phase-darkening slope parameters, G, for 5 Centaurs which range from -0.18 to 0.13, agreeing with the steepest of main belt asteroid phase curve responses. We show spectral evidence of a variegated surface for 1999 UG5 and find the second reddest Centaur object is the active Centaur C/NEAT (2001 T4). We also present spectral evidence of crystalline water ice and ammonia species on our comparison object, the Uranian satellite Miranda.University of Hawaii at ManoaMeech, Karen J2008-03-19T04:38:36Z2008-03-19T04:38:36Z2003-052003-05ThesisTextBauer, James Monie (2003) A physical survey of Centaurs. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Hawai'i, United States -- Hawaii.http://hdl.handle.net/10125/854en-USAll UHM dissertations and theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission from the copyright owner.https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/772 |
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Centaurs Planetary Comets Asteroids Kuiper belt Astronomy Astrophysics |
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Centaurs Planetary Comets Asteroids Kuiper belt Astronomy Astrophysics Bauer, James Monie A physical survey of Centaurs |
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There are forty four known small planetary bodies with orbits that are contained within the heliocentric distances of Jupiter and Neptune. It is thought that the origin of these bodies is the Kuiper Belt, the predicted reservoir of the current short period comet population. Yet, only two bodies, Chiron and C/NEAT (2001 T4), have been shown to possess a visible coma. We've undertaken an observational survey of these bodies to obtain detailed characterization of the physical properties of the Centaurs to search for evidence of activity, and to use the physical characteristics to make inferences about primordial conditions in the outer solar nebula and evolutionary processes among different dynamical regimes in the outer nebula. We present the results of optical observations of 24 Centaurs, which yield a 3-σ correlation of color with semimajor axis, with redder Centaurs being farther from the Sun. The survey also revealed the rotation light curve period for 2 Centaurs, and the phase-darkening slope parameters, G, for 5 Centaurs which range from -0.18 to 0.13, agreeing with the steepest of main belt asteroid phase curve responses. We show spectral evidence of a variegated surface for 1999 UG5 and find the second reddest Centaur object is the active Centaur C/NEAT (2001 T4). We also present spectral evidence of crystalline water ice and ammonia species on our comparison object, the Uranian satellite Miranda. |
author2 |
Meech, Karen J |
author_facet |
Meech, Karen J Bauer, James Monie |
author |
Bauer, James Monie |
author_sort |
Bauer, James Monie |
title |
A physical survey of Centaurs |
title_short |
A physical survey of Centaurs |
title_full |
A physical survey of Centaurs |
title_fullStr |
A physical survey of Centaurs |
title_full_unstemmed |
A physical survey of Centaurs |
title_sort |
physical survey of centaurs |
publisher |
University of Hawaii at Manoa |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10125/854 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT bauerjamesmonie aphysicalsurveyofcentaurs AT bauerjamesmonie physicalsurveyofcentaurs |
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1716505384998404096 |