CURRENT HOT RESEARCH TOPIC...
In preparation for the
NExT mission and as part of the research associated with the Deep
Impact, we have discovered that the spin state of 9P/Tempel 1 is
changing substantially at each perihelion passage. These changes are seen in
both the Earth-based data over several years and in the Deep Impact approach
photometry alone.
This phenomenon has substantial consequences for the NExT
mission where we are attempting to encounter the comet at a particular
rotational phase (to get the best view of the artificial Deep Impact crater).
For this reason we are giving the work of accurately quantifying the spin
changes and their origins our highest priority...
RECENT WORK (2008 - 2003)
Fluidization and
multiphase transport of particulate cometary material as an explanation of the
smooth terrains and repetitive outbursts on 9P/Tempel 1.
Michael J.S. Belton and Jay Melosh.
MS in preparation.
Cometary cryo-volcanism: Source regions and a model for the UT 2005 June 14 and
other mini-outbursts on comet 9P/Tempel 1.
Michael J.S. Belton, Paul D. Feldman, Michael F. A'Hearn, and
Brian Carcich. Accepted for publication in Icarus, July 23, 2008.
The Accelerating Spin of 9P/Tempel 1
Michael J.S. Belton and Michal Drahus. 2007 DPS Meeting
Abstract
The Internal Structure of Jupiter Family Cometary
Nuclei from Deep Impact Observations: The Talps or Layered Pile Model.
M.J.S. Belton, P. Thomas, J. Veverka, P. Schultz, M. A'Hearn, L. Feaga,
T. Farnham, O. Groussin, J-L Li, C. Lisse, L. McFadden, J. Sunshine, K.J. Meech,
W. A. Delamere.
2007.
Icarus 187, 332-344
Deep Impact Photometry of Comet 9P/Tempel
1.
Jian-Yang
Li, Michael F. A'Hearn, Michael J.S. Belton,
Christopher J
Crockett, Tony L. Farnham, Carey M. Lisse,
Lucy A. McFadden, Karen J.
Meech, Jessica M Sunshine, Peter C. Thomas, and Joe Veverka. 2007.
Icarus 187, 41-55.
The Shape, Topography and Geology of Tempel 1
from Deep Impact Observations.
P.
Thomas, J. Veverka, M.J.S. Belton, A. Hidy, M. A'Hearn, O.
Groussin, C. Lisse, L. McFadden, J. Sunshine, D. Wellnitz, P. Schultz, K.J.
Meech, W. A. Delamere.
2007. Icarus 187, 4-15.
Dust Coma Morphology in the Deep Impact
Images of Comet 9P/Tempel 1.
T.L.
Farnham, D.D. Wellnitz, D.L. Hampton, J.-Y. Li, J.M. Sunshine, O. Groussin,
L.A.
McFadden, C.J. Crockett, M.F. A'Hearn, M.J.S. Belton,
P. Schultz, C.M. Lisse. 2007.
Icarus
187, 26-40.
Deep Impact and Sample Return.
Michael
F. A'Hearn, Michael J.S. Belton, Tony L. Farnham,
Lori M. Feaga,
Olivier Groussin,
Carey M. Lisse, Karen J. Meech, Peter H. Schultz and
Jessica Sunshine.
2006. Earth
Planets Space, 58, 1-5.
Carbon Monoxide in Comet 9P/Tempel 1 before
and after the Deep Impact Encounter.
P.D.
Feldman, R.E. Lupu, S.R. McCandliss, H.A. Weaver, M.F. A'Hearn,
M.J.S. Belton, and K.J. Meech.
2006.
Astrophys. J. 647, L61-L64.
Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Comet
9P/Tempel 1 during the Deep Impact Encounter.
P.D.
Feldman, S.R. McCandliss, M. Route, H.A. Weaver, M.F. A'Hearn,
M.J.S. Belton, and K.J. Meech.
2007.
Icarus
187, 113-122.
Photometric Analysis and Disk-resolved
Thermal Modeling of Comet 19P/Borrelly from Deep Space 1 Data.
J-Y. Li,
M.F. A'Hearn,
L.A.
McFadden and M.J.S. Belton.
2007.
Icarus 187, 41-55
The Spin State of 9P/Tempel 1.
M.J.S. Belton, P.C. Thomas, B. Carcich, C.J. Crockett,
and the Deep Impact
Science Team.
2006. 37th
LPSC Abstract #1487.
C.M. Lisse,
J. VanCleve, A.C.
Adams,
M.F. A'Hearn, Y.R. Fernandez, T.L.
Farnham, L. Armus, C.J. Grillmair, J. Ingallis, M.J.S. Belton,
O. Groussin, L.A. McFadden, K.J. Meech, P.H. Schultz, B.C. Clark, L.M. Feaga,
and J.M. Sunshine.
2006.
Science
313, 635-640.
Water Ice on the Surface of
Comet Tempel 1.
J. M. Sunshine, M. F. A'Hearn, O. Groussin, J.-Y. Li,
M. J. S. Belton, W. A. Delamere, J. Kissel, K. P. Klaasen,
L. A. McFadden, K. J. Meech, H. J. Melosh, P. H. Schultz, P. C. Thomas, J.
Veverka, D. K. Yeomans,
I.
Busko, M. Desnoyer, T. L. Farnham, L. M. Feaga, D. Hampton, D. Lindler,
D.
D.
Wellnitz.
2006.
Science
311,
1453-1455.
N.H. Samarasinha, Beatrice E.A. Mueller, Michael J.S. Belton, and Laurent Jorda.
Published in COMETS II (Eds. M.C Festou, H.U. Keller and H.A.
Weaver) 2005, pp 281-299.
Deep Impact: Excavating Comet Tempel 1.
M. F. A'Hearn, M.J.S. Belton,
W. A. Delamere, J. Kissel, K. P. Klaasen, L. A.
McFadden, K. J. Meech, H. J. Melosh, P. H. Schultz, J. M. Sunshine, P.
Thomas, J. Veverka, D. K. Yeomans, M.W. Baca, I. Busko, C.J. Crockett, S. M.
Collins, M. Desnoyer, C.A. Eberhardy, C.M. Ernst,
T. L. Farnham,
L. Feaga, O. Groussin, D.
Hampton, S.I. Ipatov, J.-Y. Li, D. Lindler, C. M. Lisse,
N. Mastrodemos, W. M. Owen, Jr., J. E.
Richardson,
D.
D.
Wellnitz, R. L. White.
2005,
Science
310,
258-264.
Rotationally Resolved 8-35 micron Spitzer
Space Telescope Observations of the Nucleus of 9P/Tempel 1.
Lisse, C., A'Hearn, M.F., Groussin, O., Fernandez, Y.R.,
Belton, M.J.S., Van Cleve, J.E., Charmandaris, V., Meech,
K.J., and McGleam, C.: 2005. Astrophys. J. 625, L139-L142.
P.C. Thomas, J. Veverka, M.F. A'Hearn, L. McFadden,
M.J.S. Belton, and J.M. Sunshine. 2005. Space Science Reviews,
117, 193-205.
M.F. A'Hearn, M.J.S. Belton, A. Delamere, and W.H. Blume.
2005. Space Science Reviews 117,1-21.
M.J.S. Belton, K.J. Meech, M.F. A'Hearn, O. Groussin, L. McFadden, C. Lisse, Y.R. Fernandez, J. Pittachova, H. Hsieh, J. Kissel, K. Klaasen, P. Lamy, D. Prialnik, J. Sunshine. P. Thomas, and I. Toth. 2005, Space Science Reviews,
117, 137-160.
Y. R. Fernandez, S. C. Lowry, P. R. Weissman, B. E. A. Mueller, N. H. Samarasinha,
M. J. S. Belton, and K. J. Meech.2005 Icarus, 175, 194-214.
Michael J.S. Belton, Nalin H. Samarasinha, Yan R. Fernández, and Karen J. Meech. 2005 Icarus,175, 181-193.
Statement of
Michael J.S. Belton before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. July 30, 2003.
A chapter for a new book Mitigation of Hazardous Comets and Asteroids (M.J.S. Belton, T.H. Morgan, N.H. Samarasinha and D.K. Yeomans, Eds). Published by Cambridge University Press in December, 2004 (see above).
An April 2003 letter, signed by 30 space scientists, on important future goals for robotic and human spaceflight at NASA following the Columbia tragedy. The letter emphasizes moving human activities out of LEO into near-Earth space and sets a goal to deflect a near-Earth asteroid.
Report of the Solar System Exploration Survey (Chair,
Michael J.S. Belton), Space Studies Board, National Research Council. July 9, 2002.
Published by the National Academies Press (www.nap.edu) in 2003.
Y.R. Fernandez, K.J. Meech, C.M. Lisse, M.F. A'Hearn, J. Pittichova, and M.J.S. Belton.
Icarus, 165, 481-491 (2003).
Richard P. Binzel, Michael AHearn, Erik Asphaug, M. Antonella Barucci,
Michael Belton, Willy Benz, Alberto Cellino, Michel C. Festou, Marcello Fulchignoni, Alan W. Harris, Alessandro Rossi, Maria T. Zuber. Published in Planetary and Space Science,
51, 443-454 (2003).