All comets are born equal
Publication date: 02 May 1999
Authors: Greenberg, J.M. & Li, A.
Journal: Planetary and Space Science
Volume: 47
Issue: 6-7
Page: pp. 787-795
Year: 1999
Copyright: Elsevier Science
The infrared emission of various comets can be matched within the framework that all comets are made of aggregated interstellar dust. This is demonstrated by comparing results on Halley (a periodic comet), Borrelly (a Jupiter family short period comet), Hale-Bopp (a long period comet), and extra-solar comets in the beta-Pictoris disk. Attempts have been made to generalize the chemical composition of comet nuclei based on the observation of cometary dust and volatiles and the interstellar dust model. Finally, we deduce some of the expected dust and surface properties of comet Wirtanen from the interstellar dust model as applied to other comets.
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