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Michael J. S. Belton (NOAO), Lynn M. Carter (University of Illinois), Nalin H. Samarasinha (NOAO), William H. Julian (NMSU)
The recent publication of time-series narrow-band photometry on OH, NH, CN, C2, and C3, for Comet P/Halley by Schleicher et al. (1998) together with the model nucleus rotation state determined by Belton et al (1991) and a simple thermal model for thermal physics at the active surface (Julian et al. 1998), have allowed us to deduce some of the individual properties of five distinct active areas on comet P/Halley’s nucleus.
We report on empirical values for the mean thermal conductivity of the surface layers in active regions (Julian et al. 1998), the effective sizes, and the compositional heterogeneity exhibited by the five active areas mapped by Belton et al. (1991). We find that the thermal conductivity of cometary ice is at least a factor of 10 less than that of crystalline water ice.
LMC was supported through the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program.
Schleicher et al. 1998. Icarus 132, 397-417. Belton et al. 1991. Icarus 93, 183-193. Julian et al. 1998. Submitted to Icarus.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: mbelton@noao.edu