[Previous] | [Session 11] | [Next]

[11.09] The Evolution of Gas and Dust Production in comet 9P/Tempel 1 as a Result of the Deep Impact Event

M. A. DiSanti, M. J. Mumma (NASA-GSFC), B. P. Bonev (U. Toledo at GSFC), N. Dello Russo (APL/JHU), K. Magee-Sauer (Rowan U.), G. L. Villanueva (NAS-NRC), H. Kawakita (Kyoto Sangyo U.), S. Sugita (Univ. of Tokyo), E. L. Gibb (Notre Dame U.), J. Lyke, F. Chaffee (W. M. Keck Obs.)

We observed the Deep Impact target comet 9P/Tempel 1 with NIRSPEC at the Keck 2 observatory on UT 2005 June 03, July 04 (Director's time), July 05 and July 06. On impact night (UT July 04), spectra were acquired continuously and at approximately one-minute intervals, from about 30 minutes prior to impact until 2h 20m after impact. This permitted a simultaneous study of gas and dust release in 9P/Tempel 1. Because of the large spectral coverage afforded by NIRSPEC, the evolution of water and other parent molecules (e.g., C₂H₆, HCN, CH₃OH, etc) can be assessed and compared with the underlying dust continuum. Results will be presented.

This work was supported by NASA grants RTOP 344-33-55, 344-32-98, and 344-32-30-07.

[Previous] | [Session 11] | [Next]

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #3
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.