Collaborative Research: SEPPCoN, a Survey of the Ensemble Physical Properties of Cometary Nuclei

合作研究：SEPPCoN，彗星核整体物理性质的调查

• 批准号: 0808004
• 负责人: Yanga Fernandez
• 金额: $ 4.49万
• 依托单位: The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0808004&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; SEPPCoN; Survey; Ensemble

AST-0808004/0807521/0808139Fernandez/Meech/LowryThese collaborative awards support the group formed to carry out SEPPCoN, a Survey of the Ensemble Physical Properties of Cometary Nuclei. This is a large multi-wavelength project to understand the distribution of sizes, albedos, colors, shapes, and rotations of the current comet population in the Solar System, to investigate how comets have changed in the 4.6 billion years since their formation. This is important, because comets are used to probe the thermo-physical conditions of the proto-planetary disk that led to the formation of the solar system. Although this is a larger question than this survey can answer, SEPPCoN will address aspects related to the make-up of the nuclei themselves, including bulk strength, mass loss, fragmentation, albedos, colors, and axial ratios. Good understanding requires observing a significant sample of the comet population, and this project starts by focusing on Jupiter-family comets (JFCs) with an initial sample of 100 JFC nuclei. This is about 30% of the total known sample and is large enough for statistical rigor. The study uses data from the Spitzer Space Telescope and from ground-based facilities on Mauna Kea, La Silla, La Palma, and Palomar.The project employs undergraduates for the acquisition, reduction, and presentation of some of the datasets, providing them with a true research experience. Data from this project provide useful context for upper-level undergraduate courses on astronomical techniques. SEPPCoN is an international collaboration among researchers in France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and four U.S. states.

AST-0808004/0807521/0808139FERNANDEZ/MEECH/LOWRYTHETHESE协作奖项支持该小组进行SEPPCON，这是对彗星核的整体物理特性的调查。 这是一个大型多波长项目，旨在了解太阳系中当前彗星种群的大小，反照率，颜色，形状和旋转的分布，以研究自成立以来的46亿年内彗星的变化。 这很重要，因为彗星用于探测导致太阳系形成的原始星际磁盘的热态条件。 尽管这比该调查更大的问题可以回答，但Seppcon将解决与核本身的构成相关的方面，包括散装强度，质量损失，碎片，反照率，颜色和轴向比率。 良好的理解需要观察大量彗星种群的样本，该项目首先要关注木星家庭彗星（JFC），初始样本为100 JFC核。 这大约是已知样品总样本的30％，并且足够大，以实现统计严格。 该研究使用来自Spitzer太空望远镜的数据以及Mauna Kea，La Silla，La Palma和Palomar的地面设施。该项目雇用了本科生来获取，减少和介绍一些数据集，从而为他们提供真正的研究经验。 该项目的数据为天文技术的高级本科课程提供了有用的背景。 Seppcon是法国，西班牙，英国和四个美国的研究人员之间的国际合作。