THE 1991 OUTBURST OF COMET P-METCALF-BREWINGTON - A STUDY OF THE LIGHT-CURVE

Authors
Citation
Mr. Kidger, THE 1991 OUTBURST OF COMET P-METCALF-BREWINGTON - A STUDY OF THE LIGHT-CURVE, Earth, moon, and planets, 63(3), 1993, pp. 179-185
Citations number
15
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Astronomy & Astrophysics","Geosciences, Interdisciplinary
Journal title
ISSN journal
0167-9295
Volume
63
Issue
3
Year of publication
1993
Pages
179 - 185
Database
ISI
SICI code
0167-9295(1993)63:3<179:T1OOCP>2.0.ZU;2-S
Abstract
The light curve of the outburst of Comet P/Metcalf-Brewington (1991 1) is investigated. The parameters of the light curve are quite uncertai n as it may be fitted both in terms of variation with heliocentric dis tance and exponential decay with time however, after maximum a empiric al fit of m1 = 4.1 + 5 log Delta + 14.8 log r gives a good fit to the data. The absolute magnitude brightened at least 11 magnitudes in outb urst. The outburst is most plausibly caused by the release of micron s ized grains as, were the outbust due to dust emission, it would imply the expulsion of a large fraction of the total mass of the nucleus.