Non-gravitational force modeling of Comet 81P/Wild 2: II. Rotational evolution

In this paper, we have studied both the dynamical and the rotational evolution of an 81P/Wild 2-like comet under the effects of the outgassing-induced force and torque. The main aim is to study if it is possible to reproduce the non-gravitational orbital changes observed in this comet, and to establish the likely evolution of both orbital and rotational parameters. To perform this study, a simple thermophysical model has been used to estimate the torque acting on the nucleus. Once the torque is calculated, Euler equations are solved numerically considering a nucleus mass directly estimated from the changes in the orbital elements (as determined from astrometry). According to these simulations, when the water production rate and changes in orbital parameters for 1997, as well as observational rotational parameters for 2004 are imposed as constraints, the change in the orbital period of 81P/Wild 2, , will decrease so that to , which is similar to the actual tendency observed from 1988 up to 1997. This nearly constant decreasing can be explained as due to a slight drift of the spin axis orientation towards larger ecliptic longitudes. After studying the possible spin axis orientations proposed for 1997, simulations suggest that the spin obliquity and argument (I,Φ)=(56°,167°) is the most likely. As for rotational evolution, changes per orbit smaller than 10% of the actual spin velocity are probable, while the most likely value corresponds to a change between 2 and 7% of the spin velocity. Equally, net changes in the spin axis orientation of 4°-8° per orbit are highly expected.     

CCD photometry of 23 minor planets

We present CCD photometric observations of 23 main-belt asteroids, of which 8 have never been observed before; thus, the data of these objects are the first in the literature. The majority showed well-detectable light variations, exceeding 0^m1. We have determined synodic periods for 756 Lilliana (936), 1270 Datura (34), 1400 Tirela (1336), 1503 Kuopio (998), 3682 Welther (359), 7505 Furushu (414) and 11436 1969 QR (123), while uncertain period estimates were possible for 469 Argentina (123), 546 Herodias (104) and 1026 Ingrid (53). The shape of the lightcurves of 3682 Welther changed on a short time-scale and showed dimmings that might be attributed to eclipses in a binary system. For the remaining objects, only lower limits of the periods and amplitudes were concluded.     

Near infrared imaging spectroscopy of Venus with the Anglo-Australian Telescope

We have obtained full-disk spatially resolved spectra of the Venus nightside at near-infrared wavelengths during July 2007 using the Anglo-Australian Telescope and Infrared Imager and Spectrograph 2 (IRIS2). The data have been used to map the intensity and rotational temperature of the O₂(a¹Δ_g) airglow band at . The temperatures agree with those obtained in earlier IRIS2 observations and are significantly higher than expected from the Venus International Reference Atmosphere (VIRA) profile. We also report the detection of the corresponding ν=0-1O₂ airglow band at with a similar spatial distribution to the ν=0-0 band. Observations in the thermal window have been used to image surface topography using two different methods of cloud correction. We have also obtained images that can be used to study cloud motion.     

Environmental predictions for the Beagle 2 lander, based on GCM climate simulations

The Mars climate database (MCD) is a database of statistics based on output from physically consistent numerical model simulations which describe the climate and surface environment of Mars. It is used here to predict the meteorological environment of the Beagle 2 lander site. The database was constructed directly on the basis of output from multiannual integrations of two general circulation models, developed jointly at Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France, and the University of Oxford, UK. In an atmosphere with dust opacities similar to that observed by Mars Global Surveyor, the predicted surface temperature at the time of landing (L_s=322°, 13:00 local time), is , and varying between ∼186 and over the Martian day. The predicted air temperature at above the surface, the height of the fully extended Beagle 2 robot arm, is at the time of landing. The expected mean wind near the surface on landing is north-westerly in direction, becoming more southerly over the mission. An increase in mean surface pressure is expected during the mission. Heavy global dust storm predictions are discussed; conditions which may only occur in the extreme as the expected time of landing is around the end of the main dust storm period. Past observations show approximately a one in five chance of a large-scale dust storm in a whole Mars year over the landing region, Isidis Planitia. This statistic results from observations of global, encircling, regional and local dust storms but does not include any small-scale dust “events” such as dust devils.     

Venus wind map at cloud top level with the MTR/THEMIS visible spectrometer, I: Instrumental performance and first results

Solar light gets scattered at cloud top level in Venus’ atmosphere, in the visible range, which corresponds to the altitude of 67 km. We present Doppler velocity measurements performed with the high resolution spectrometer MTR of the Solar telescope THEMIS (Teide Observatory, Canary Island) on the sodium D2 solar line . Observations lasted only 49 min because of cloudy weather. However, we could assess the instrumental velocity sensitivity, per pixel of 1 arcsec, and give a value of the amplitude of zonal wind at equator at .     

Tvashtar awakening detected in April 2006 with OSIRIS at the W.M. Keck Observatory

We detected a volcanic outburst in Io's northern hemisphere on 17 April 2006 with the OSIRIS imaging spectrometer at Keck, and confirmed it was still erupting on 2 June 2006. The eruption, which we name 060417A, was located in Tvashtar Paterae, ∼100 km southeast of the February 2000 eruption. The observed temperature was , over a surface area of , providing a total thermal output of .     

Interaction between eddies and mean flow in Jupiter's atmosphere: Analysis of Cassini imaging data

Beebe et al. [Beebe, R.F., et al., 1980. Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 1-4] and Ingersoll et al. [Ingersoll, A.P., et al., 1981. J. Geophys. Res. 86, 8733-8743] used images from Voyagers 1 and 2 to analyze the interaction between zonal winds and eddies in Jupiter's atmosphere. They reported a high positive correlation between Jupiter's eddy momentum flux, , and the variation of zonal velocity with latitude, . This correlation implied a surprisingly high rate of conversion of energy from eddies to zonal flow: , a value more than 10% of Jupiter's thermal flux emission. However, Sromovsky et al. [Sromovsky, L.A., et al., 1982. J. Atmos. Sci. 39, 1413-1432] argued that possible biases in the analysis could have caused an artificially high correlation. In addition, significant differences in the derived eddy flux between datasets put into question the robustness of any one result. We return to this long-standing puzzle using images of Jupiter from the Cassini flyby of December 2000. Our method is similar to previous analyses, but utilizes an automatic feature tracker instead of the human eye. The number of velocity vectors used in this analysis is over 200,000, compared to the 14,000 vectors used by Ingersoll et al. We also find a positive correlation between and and derive a global average power per unit mass, , ranging from . Utilizing Ingersoll et al.'s estimate of the mass per unit area involved in the transport, this would imply a rate of energy conversion of . We discuss the implications of this result and employ several tests to demonstrate its robustness.     

CASSINI/VIMS-V at Jupiter: Radiometric calibration test and data results

During the Cassini-Huygens flyby of Jupiter in December 2000, VIMS-V acquired multispectral data cubes of Jupiter's atmosphere. The visual and infrared imaging spectrometer-visual channel (VIMS-V) is one of the principal contributions of Italian Space Agency (ASI) to the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn. VIMS-V is an imaging spectrometer operating in the wavelength range 300-, with a (nominal) spectral resolution of , and a (nominal) spatial resolution of . VIMS-V is boresighted with the VIMS-IR channel operating in the wavelength range 0.8-. During the early phases of the Cassini mission, the spacecraft encountered Venus (June 23, 1999), followed shortly thereafter by a flyby of the Earth. During the Earth flyby the Moon (August 17, 1999) was observed. Following the Earth-Moon flyby, the spacecraft encountered Jupiter (closest approach on December 31, 2000), and during the roughly 6 months prior to Jupiter closest approach a series of observations were made of most of the objects in the Jovian system. We have determined the instrumental transfer function of VIMS-V using the Moon and Venus day side data. This transfer function was then used to remove instrumental effects from the Jupiter data and to convert raw instrumental response numbers to spectral radiance from the target. It was thus possible to study the spectral variability of Jupiter's atmosphere across its disk using data from both the visual (V) and infrared (IR) channels of VIMS. In this paper we discuss the main results obtained by the V channel. We have analyzed the principal spectral features of Jupiter atmosphere, and in particular, the spatial variation of methane and ammonia absorption bands over the Jovian disk. Using the instrument's spatial mapping capabilities we have investigated the nature of the absorption band in the spectrum of Jupiter's atmosphere at that is consistent with the presence of ammonia or water vapor. After comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacted Jupiter, water vapor was considered the most likely cause of the absorption feature, but our data indicate that ammonia is the source of this band. Other analyses were performed using standard techniques such as forming band ratios and removal of the continuum. Our analyses confirm previous ground or satellite based observations. We were also able to verify the instrument radiometric calibration, using observations conducted during the close encounters with Venus and the Moon.