The Dust Environment of Main-Belt Comet P/2010 R2 (La Sagra)

• Published in: The Astrophysical Journal
• Main Authors: Moreno, F., Lara, L. M., Licandro, J., Ortiz, J. L., de León, J., Alí-Lagoa, V., Agis-Gonzalez, Beatriz, Molina, A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Physics Publishing 2011
• Subjects: comets: individual: P/2010 R2 (La Sagra); methods: numerical; minor planets; asteroids: general; Physical; chemical; mathematical & earth Sciences; Space science; astronomy & astrophysics; Physique; chimie; mathématiques & sciences de la terre; Aérospatiale; astronomie & astrophysique; South pole
• Online Access: https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/231203; https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/231203/1/2011_Moreno.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/738/1/L16

peer reviewed We present a model of the dust environment of Main-Belt Comet P/2010 R2 (La Sagra) from images acquired during the period 2010 October-2011 January. The tails are best simulated by anisotropic ejection models, with emission concentrated near the nucleus south pole, the spin axis having an obliquity near 90°, indicative of a possible seasonally driven behavior. The dust mass loss rate increases rapidly shortly before perihelion, reaching a maximum value of ~4 kg s[SUP]-1[/SUP], and maintaining a sustained, cometary-like, activity of about 3-4 kg s[SUP]-1[/SUP] up to at least 200 days after perihelion, the date of the latest observation. The size distribution function is characterized by particles in the 5 × 10[SUP]-4[/SUP] cm to 1 cm radius range, assuming a time-constant power-law distribution with an index of -3.5. The ejection velocities are compatible with water-ice sublimation activity at the heliocentric distance of 2.7 AU, with values of 10-20 cm s[SUP]-1[/SUP] for particle radius of 1 cm, and inverse square root dependence on particle size, typical of hydrodynamical gas drag.