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1.
Future missions to the Moon should include a detailed high-resolution global gravity survey from a low (15–30 km) polar orbiting spacecraft. The use of gravity gradiometer instruments on board the spacecraft will give higher-resolution data at lower total mission cost that the present Doppler tracking technique. Simulations show that although a three axis gradiometer system is preferred, and can even be used to estimate spacecraft attitude and altitude variation, a properly oriented single rotating gravity gradiometer can be used to resolve closely spaced mascons in both the along-track and cross-track directions.Paper presented at theFuture Lunar Exploration session of the Tenth Lunar and Planetary Science. Conference, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, 19–23 March 1979.  相似文献   

2.
With 2 years of tracking data collection from the MRO spacecraft, there is noticeable improvement in the high frequency portion of the spherical harmonic Mars gravity field. The new JPL Mars gravity fields, MRO110B and MRO110B2, show resolution near degree 90. Additional years of MGS and Mars Odyssey tracking data result in improvement for the seasonal gravity changes which compares well to global circulation models and Odyssey neutron data and Mars rotation and precession (). Once atmospheric dust is accounted for in the spacecraft solar pressure model, solutions for Mars solar tide are consistent between data sets and show slightly larger values (k2 = 0.164 ± 0.009, after correction for atmospheric tide) compared to previous results, further constraining core models. An additional 4 years of Mars range data improves the Mars ephemeris, determines 21 asteroid masses and bounds solar mass loss (dGMSun/dt < 1.6 × 10−13 GMSun year−1).  相似文献   

3.
Global tracking coverage of the Apollo 15 subsatellite has provided gravity measurements from 50 km altitudes over the entire Humorum basin. An estimate of surface mass points at 2 degree intervals, which best fit the data reveals a mass distribution having a lesser mass excess for the very central area. When two different profiles were fit using a 2 disk model it was again found for each profile that the smaller central disk decreased the central mass by approximately 30%. The mass distribution per unit area however for the major portion of the mascon is still consistent with the other mascons (Crisium, Nectaris and Serenitatis) of approximately 800-900 kg cm–2. The surface mass point solution seems to correlate somewhat with the dark areas on Whitaker's IR-UV map.Paper dedicated to Prof. Harold C. Urey on the occasion of his 80th birthday on 29 April 1973.This paper represents the results of one phase of research carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under Contract No. NAS 7-100, sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.  相似文献   

4.
Dense Doppler tracking coverage of the Apollo 15 and 16 subsatellites over ten and eighteen day periods when periapsis altitudes were 15–50 km has provided detailed gravity mapping of the lunar frontside. Many new gravity features are revealed including one that does not correlate with any visible topographic structure. All unfilled craters sampled are negative anomalies. The mascons consistently produce gravity highs that load the surface with ≈800 kg cm?2 excess mass. The Orientale region is represented with a solution grid of 177 point masses that clearly show the ringed structure. The eastern limb is also displayed with a solution grid of point masses. The gravity variations over the central portion of the frontface are shown as line-of-sight acceleration contours in milligals.  相似文献   

5.
The Auguste experiment onboard the Phobos spacecraft was devoted to solar occultation spectroscopy of the Martian atmosphere in the ultraviolet through infrared wavelength region. Despite the short duration of the space mission and problems associated largely with a fault in the solar pointing system, data have been obtained on the chemical composition and aerosol content in the atmosphere of Mars at sunset early in the summer at equatorial latitudes (in the northern hemisphere). This paper presents a somewhat detailed review of the experiment performed, the data obtained, and their interpretation, and compares these data with new results. Ozone traces were detected at altitudes of 40–60 km, and, in one case, an ozone profile was obtained. Nine profiles of water vapor content at altitudes between 12 and 50 km were obtained from absorption data in the 1.87-m band. At altitudes of 23–25 km, the mean H2O concentration profile falls steeply to the value of 3 ppm, but at lower altitudes the relative H2O content is approximately constant (130 ppm). The overall content of water vapor is estimated as 8.3+2.5 -1.5 m of settled water. The temperature profile for the saturated atmosphere yields a cooling rate of 2 ± 1 K/km at altitudes from 25 to 35 km. The atmospheric extinction profiles were measured at altitudes from 10 to 50 km at the wavelengths 1.9 and 3.7 m. The atmosphere is transparent up to 25–33 km; below this level radiation is attenuated by dust; it is also possible that a layer of water ice clouds is present at altitudes of 20–25 km. High-altitude transparent ( 0.03) clouds consisting supposedly of water ice were observed in 5 of 38 cases at altitudes z 50 km. The optical depth 0 of the atmosphere was estimated to be 0.2 ± 0.1, and constraints on the form of the size distribution of dust particles were established. Spectral features in the 3.7 m range have been previously attributed to formaldehyde; its content is substantially higher than the limits deduced from new ground-based observations. The spectrum in the 3.7 m range is discussed and other unsettled problems are pointed out.  相似文献   

6.
With the collection of six years of MGS tracking data and three years of Mars Odyssey tracking data, there has been a continual improvement in the JPL Mars gravity field determination. This includes the measurement of the seasonal changes in the gravity coefficients (e.g., , , , , , ) caused by the mass exchange between the polar ice caps and atmosphere. This paper describes the latest gravity field MGS95J to degree and order 95. The improvement comes from additional tracking data and the adoption of a more complete Mars orientation model with nutation, instead of the IAU 2000 model. Free wobble of the Mars' spin axis, i.e. polar motion, has been constrained to be less than 10 mas by looking at the temporal history of and . A strong annual signature is observed in , and this is a mixture of polar motion and ice mass redistribution. The Love number solution with a subset of Odyssey tracking data is consistent with the previous liquid outer core determination from MGS tracking data [Yoder et al., 2003. Science 300, 299-303], giving a combined solution of k2=0.152±0.009 using MGS and Odyssey tracking data. The solutions for the masses of the Mars' moons show consistency between MGS, Odyssey, and Viking data sets; Phobos GM=(7.16±0.005)×10−4 km3/s2 and Deimos GM=(0.98±0.07)×10−4 km3/s2. Average MGS orbit errors, determined from differences in the overlaps of orbit solutions, have been reduced to 10-cm in the radial direction and 1.5 m along the spacecraft velocity and normal to the orbit plane. Hence, the ranging to the MGS and Odyssey spacecraft has resulted in position measurements of the Mars system center-of-mass relative to the Earth to an accuracy of one meter, greatly reducing the Mars ephemeris errors by several orders of magnitude, and providing mass estimates for Asteroids 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas, 3 Juno, 4 Vesta, and 324 Bamberga.  相似文献   

7.
Purpose: The purpose of the Traverse Gravity Experiment is to measure the value of lunar gravity (relative to the value at the landing site) at selected points along the lunar surface traverse. A secondary purpose is to make an Earth-Moon gravity tie. Instrumental Accuracy and Elevation Corrections: The traverse gravimeter is capable of making measurements to an accuracy of about ±0.6 mgals. The free air correction on the Moon is about 0.2 mgals/m. The uncertainty of elevation accuracies at the gravity stations is expected to be between ±2 m and ±10 m with the smaller number considered more likely. Consequently, the error in the free air anomaly will lie between about ±0.6 mgals and ±2.1 mgals. Lateral Inhomogeneities Resolvable by the Traverse Gravimeter: The gravity difference associated with a layer 500 m thick, of density contrast 0.2 g per cubic centimeter, is 4mgals. Gravity stations 500 m apart will not resolve gravity signals with wavelengths under 1 k. Hence, the traverse gravimeter will only resolve density differences which extend at least a few hundred meters in vertical extent and have wavelengths of at leastl k. At the other extreme the gravimeter can record the effect of very deep and very large masses provided the gravity effect of these masses is at least a few milligals across the traverse. Usefulness of the Traverse Gravity Experiment: The gravity measurement will indicate the presence of lateral inhomogeneities at the kilometer or larger scale. In a general way, they will discriminate between the case where the subsurface contains a jumbled mass of rocks and different densities and the case where the subsurface layers have very small lateral inhomogeneities and, therefore, yield clues regarding the origin of the lunar surface. In a particular way, the lunar traverse gravity measurement will be able to establish the downward extension of rock outcrops on surface - central peaks in craters being an example of such outcrops. In this sense, the traverse gravity measurement provides a very useful extrapolation of surface geological observations. Time Required for Measurements: At the beginning and end of each traverse, the gravimeter will be removed from the LRV and a normal and a bias measurement taken with the gravimeter on the lunar surface. Each measurement takes about 2.5 min. During an LRV stop, it is necessary merely to start a normal measurement by depressing a pushbutton. The gravity measurement still takes 2.5 min but the presence of the astronaut near the gravimeter is not required. After the measurement is taken, the value is stored in the logic circuitry; the astronaut can obtain the value at any later time by depressing a read pushbutton. The gravity value is displayed and is read out by the astronaut. Number of Required Measurements: The number and location of gravity stations is site dependent, and cannot be firmly formulated until the landing site is chosen. As a guideline, one gravity measurement at every science stop would be extremely desirable.  相似文献   

8.
New detailed gravity measurements were obtained over a 10- to 70-km surface strip from ? 70° to + 70° long. during low-altitude orbits (≈ 12 km at periapsis). The trajectory path (Figure 1) went over the centers of both Maria Serenitatis and Crisium, providing a complete center gravity profile of two large mascons. Consistent with the previous results for Mare Nectaris and Mare Humorum, both Serenitatis and Crisium mascons are approximately disk-shaped near-surface mass anomalies of net uncompensated loading, 800 kg cm?2. This strengthens Booker's contention that all mascons are approximately the same thickness. Also revealed for the first time are significant positive gravity measurements over mountain ranges - Apennines (near Hadley Mountain) and the Marius Hills. The data suggests that the Apennines have undergone some isostatic compensation, whereas the Marius Hills have not. The crater anomalies detected are all consistently negative as observed before, implying loss of mass from the impact event which formed them.  相似文献   

9.
Simulations of the gravity data to be expected from a Lunar Polar Orbiter spacecraft utilizing either a Doppler velocity tracking system or a gravity gradiometer instrument system are generated using a point mass model that gives an excellent representation of the types of gravity anomalies to be found on the Moon. If the state of the art in instrumentation of both systems remain at the level of ±1 mm/sec at 10 sec integration time for the Doppler velocity system accuracy and at ±1 Eotvos at 10 sec integration time for the gravity gradiometer system accuracy, inspection of the simulations indicates that a gravity gradiometer system will give science data with better resolution and higher amplitude-to-measurement noise ratio than the Doppler velocity system at altitudes below 100 km. The error model used in the study is one where the system errors are assumed to be dominated by the point measurement noise and data quantization noise. The effects of other, more controllable, systematic error sources are not considered in this simplified analysis. For example, both systems will be affected by errors in LPO orbital altitude and position knowledge, spacecraft maneuvers, and data reduction errors. In addition, a Doppler tracking system will be sensitive to errors produced by spacecraft acceleration (from outgassing or solar pressure) and poor relative position of the LPO, Relay Satellite and ground tracking station, while a gravity gradiometer system will be sensitive to errors from spacecraft attitude and angular rates. These preliminary study results now need to be verified by a more complete error analysis in which all the uncertainties of the data gathering process are formally mapped into uncertainties in the resulting gravity maps.  相似文献   

10.
Determination of Shape, Gravity, and Rotational State of Asteroid 433 Eros   总被引：5，自引：0，他引：5  
Prior to the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission, little was known about Eros except for its orbit, spin rate, and pole orientation, which could be determined from ground-based telescope observations. Radar bounce data provided a rough estimate of the shape of Eros. On December 23, 1998, after an engine misfire, the NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft flew by Eros on a high-velocity trajectory that provided a brief glimpse of Eros and allowed for an estimate of the asteroid's pole, prime meridian, and mass. This new information, when combined with the ground-based observations, provided good a priori estimates for processing data in the orbit phase.After a one-year delay, NEAR orbit operations began when the spacecraft was successfully inserted into a 320×360 km orbit about Eros on February 14, 2000. Since that time, the NEAR spacecraft was in many different types of orbits where radiometric tracking data, optical images, and NEAR laser rangefinder (NLR) data allowed a determination of the shape, gravity, and rotational state of Eros. The NLR data, collected predominantly from the 50-km orbit, together with landmark tracking from the optical data, have been processed to determine a 24th degree and order shape model. Radiometric tracking data and optical landmark data were used in a separate orbit determination process. As part of this latter process, the spherical harmonic gravity field of Eros was primarily determined from the 10 days in the 35-km orbit. Estimates for the gravity field of Eros were made as high as degree and order 15, but the coefficients are determined relative to their uncertainty only up to degree and order 10. The differences between the measured gravity field and one determined from a constant density shape model are detected relative to their uncertainty only to degree and order 6. The offset between the center of figure and the center of mass is only about 30 m, indicating that Eros has a very uniform density (1% variation) on a large scale (35 km). Variations to degree and order 6 (about 6 km) may be partly explained by the existence of a 100-m, regolith or by small internal density variations. The best estimates for the J2000 right ascension and declination of the pole of Eros are α=11.3692±0.003° and δ=17.2273±0.006°. The rotation rate of Eros is 1639.38922±0.00015°/day, which gives a rotation period of 5.27025547 h. No wobble greater than 0.02° has been detected. Solar gravity gradient torques would introduce a wobble of at most 0.001°.  相似文献   

11.
Gravity field and interior of Rhea from Cassini data analysis   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  
The Cassini spacecraft encountered Rhea on November 26, 2005. Analysis of the Doppler data acquired at and around closest approach yields the mass of Rhea and the quadrupole moments of its gravity field with unprecedented accuracy. We obtained which corresponds to a density of . Our results for J2 and C22 are (7.947±0.892)×10−4 and (2.3526±0.0476)×10−4, respectively. These values are consistent with hydrostatic equilibrium. From the value of C22, we infer the non-dimensional moment of inertia C/MR2=0.3721±0.0036. Our models of Rhea's interior based on the gravity data favor an almost undifferentiated satellite. A discontinuity between a core and a mantle is possible but not required by the data. Models with a constant silicate mass fraction throughout the body cannot account for the determined quadrupole coefficients. The data exclude fully differentiated models in which the core would be composed of unhydrated silicates and the mantle would be composed of pure ice. If the mantle contains 10% in mass of silicates, the core extends to 630 km in radius and has a silicate mass fraction of 40%. A continuous model in which the silicates are more concentrated toward the center of the body than in the outer layers is allowed by the gravity data but excluded by thermal evolution considerations. The one model that fits the gravity data and is self-consistent when energy transport and ice melting are qualitatively considered is an “almost undifferentiated” Rhea, in which a very large uniform core is surrounded by a relatively thin ice shell containing no rock at all.  相似文献   

12.
Simnett  G.M. 《Solar physics》2003,213(2):387-412
In 2001 the Ulysses spacecraft crossed the ecliptic plane near perihelion. The heliographic longitude with respect to the Earth was within ±20° of the west solar limb while it was ±15° of the ecliptic plane, which meant that coronal mass ejections seen off the solar west limb were likely to pass over Ulysses. On 10 May the largest >38 keV electron intensity of the mission, since the Jovian encounter in 1992, was observed, which was accompanied by a fast perpendicular shock. This event was preceded by a fast coronal mass ejection some two and a half days earlier which is the probable source of the shock. However, both the ACE spacecraft and Ulysses observed, simultaneously, an intense, prompt electron event on 7 May from a solar flare associated with earlier coronal mass ejections also observed off the west limb; Ulysses was magnetically connected to a longitude well behind the west limb. ACE did not observe any (at the 0.1% level) energetic electrons which were associated with the 10 May event seen at Ulysses. We discuss in detail the energetic particles seen at the two spacecraft during 7–11 May, with the objective of understanding the origin of the intense electron event seen on 10 May and the manner in which particles escaping from the shock populate the inner heliosphere. The energy spectrum of the ions at both ACE and Ulysses exhibits a maximum at around 400 keV; this form of the spectrum was seen at the shock itself. It appears that the strong shock driven by the fast coronal mass ejection is able to populate a large fraction of the inner heliosphere with accelerated ions. The shock-accelerated electrons do not pervade the inner heliosphere in the same manner as the ions. We suggest that the electron acceleration was enhanced by the presence of multiple coronal mass ejections.  相似文献   

13.
Kotov  V. A.  Haneychuk  V. I.  Tsap  T. T.  Hoeksema  J. T. 《Solar physics》1997,176(1):45-57
The CrAO-WSO-network experiment was designed for detection of low-degree oscillations of the Sun representing either its normal g -modes or those driven by, e.g., rapid (hypothetical) rotation of the central solar core. The Doppler-shift measurements were made in 1974–1995 at both sites during about 13600 hr, in all. Taking into account the upper limit (0.08 m s-1) for amplitudes of potential g-modes, attention is paid to the Sun's behaviour at frequencies near the 9th daily harmonic (period P 160.The two main issues follow from analysis of the combined CrAO-WSO data: (a) in 1974–1982 the primary period of solar pulsation was P 0160.0099 ± 0.0016 ± 0.0016 min, but (b) during the last 13 yr it attained a new value, P 1 159.9654 ± 0.0010 min, which happens to be a near-annual sidelobe of P 0. We find therefore that the phase stability of the 160-min mode is no longer present: it appears to be splitted at least into a pair of oscillations,P 0 and P 1, having perhaps different physical origins. But the most striking is the fair coincidence of the strongest peaks in the two data sets: CrAO (1974–1995): P = 159.9662 ±0.0006 min, WSO (1977–1994): P = 159.9663 ± 0.0007 min. The existence of two frequencies,P -1 0 and P -1 1, with their separation corresponding to 1-yr period, seems to be difficult to explain in terms of gravity g modes.  相似文献   

14.
On 14 January and 6 October 2008 the MESSENGER spacecraft passed within 200 km of the surface of Mercury. These flybys by MESSENGER provided the first observations of Mercury from a spacecraft since the Mariner 10 flybys in 1974 and 1975. Data from the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) provided new information on the equatorial shape of Mercury, and Doppler tracking of the spacecraft through the flybys provided new data on the planet’s gravity field. The MLA passes were on opposite hemispheres of the planet and span collectively ∼40% of the equatorial circumference. The mean elevation of topography observed during flyby 1, in the longitude range 0-90°E, is greater than that seen during flyby 2 in the longitude range 180-270°E, indicating an offset between centers of mass and figure having a magnitude and phase in general agreement with topography determined by Earth-based radar. Both MLA profiles are characterized by slopes of ∼0.015° downward to the east, which is consistent with a long-wavelength equatorial shape defined by a best-fitting ellipse. The Doppler tracking data show sensitivity to the gravitational structure of Mercury. The equatorial ellipticity of the gravitational field, C2,2, is well determined and correlates with the equatorial shape. The S2,2 coefficient is ∼0, as would be expected if Mercury’s coordinate system, defined by its rotational state, is aligned along its principal axes of inertia. The recovered value of the polar flattening of the gravitational potential, J2, is considerably lower in magnitude than the value obtained from Mariner 10 tracking, a result that is problematic for internal structure models. This parameter is not as well constrained as the equatorial ellipticity because the flyby trajectories were nearly in the planet’s equatorial plane. The residuals from the Doppler tracking data suggest the possibility of mascons on Mercury, but flyby observations are of insufficient resolution for confident recovery. For a range of assumptions on degree of compensation and crustal and mantle densities, the allowable crustal thickness is consistent with the upper limit of about 100 km estimated from the inferred depth of faulting beneath a prominent lobate scarp, an assumed ductile flow law for crustal material, and the condition that temperature at the base of the crust does not exceed the solidus temperature. The MESSENGER value of C2,2 has allowed an improved estimate of the ratio of the polar moment of inertia of the mantle and crust to the full polar moment (Cm/C), a refinement that strengthens the conclusion that Mercury has at present a fluid outer core.  相似文献   

15.
The upper limit on the quiet time solar neutron flux from 1–20 MeV has been measured to be less than 2 × 10-3 n cm-2 s–1 at the 95% confidence level. This result is deduced from the OGO-6 neutron detector measurements of the day-night effect near the equator at low altitudes for the period from June 7, 1969, to December 23, 1969. The OGO-6 detector had very low (< 4%) counting rate contributions from locally produced neutrons in the detecting system and the spacecraft and from charged-particle interactions in the neutron sensor.Communications Research Center, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  相似文献   

16.
A new method for determining the early history of the Earth-Moon system is described. Called the study of lunar paleotides, it describes a method for explaining features of the remnant lunar gravity field, and the generation of the lunar mascons. A method for the determination of Earth-Moon distances compared with the radiometric ages of the maria is developed. It is shown that the Moon underwent strong anomalous gravitational tidal forces, for a durationt<106yr, prior to the formation of the mascon surfaces. As these tidal forces had not been present at the time of the formation of the Moon, this shows that the Moon could not have been formed in orbit about the Earth.There are tides in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, lead on to fortune... William Shakespeare 1564–1616  相似文献   

17.
A new analysis of the Doppler tracking data from the Lunar Prospector mission in 1999 revealed a number of previously-unseen gravity anomalies at spatial scales as small as 27 km over the nearside. The tracking data at low altitudes (50 km or below) were better analyzed to resolve the nearside features without dampening from a power law constraint, by partitioning the gravity parameters concentrated on either the nearside or farside. The resulting model presents gravity anomalies correlated with topography with a correlation coefficient of 0.7 or higher from degree 50 to 150, the widest bandwidth yet. The gravity-topography admittance of ∼70 mGal/km is found from numerous craters of which diameters are 60 km or less. In addition, the new model produces orbits that fit to independent radio tracking data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Kaguya (SELENE) better than previous gravity models. This high-resolution model can be of immediate use to geophysical analysis of small craters. Our technique could be applied to an upcoming mission, the Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory and useful to extract short wavelength signals from the MESSENGER Doppler data.  相似文献   

18.
Analysis of the gravity gradiometer developed by R. L. Forward and C. C. Bell at the Hughes Research Laboratories suggest than an accuracy, in the range 0.1 to 0.5 EU can be expected in a lunar orbiter application. This accuracy will allow gradient anomalies associated with mascons to be mapped with 1% accuracy and should reveal a great deal of new information about the lunar gravity field.The proposed experiment calls for putting such a gradiometer into a closely circular polar orbit at an average height of about 30 km above the lunar surface. This orbit allows the entire lunar surface to be covered in fourteen days, the gradiometer to be checked twice per revolution and results in successive passes above the lunar surface being spaced at about the resolution limit of about 30 km set both by the satellite altitude and instrumental integration time. Doppler tracking will be employed and the spacecraft will carry an electromagnetic altimeter. Gradient and altitude data from the far side of the Moon can be stored for replay when communication is re-established.  相似文献   

19.
Coronal Faraday rotation of the linearly polarized carrier signals of the HELIOS spacecraft was recorded during the regularly occurring solar occultations over almost a complete solar cycle from 1975 to 1984. These measurements are used to determine the average strength and radial variation of the coronal magnetic field at solar minimum at solar distances from 3–10 solar radii, i.e., the range over which the complex fields at the coronal base are transformed into the interplanetary spiral. The mean coronal magnetic field in 1975–1976 was found to decrease with radial distance according to r –, where = 2.7 ± 0.2. The mean field magnitude was 1.0 ± 0.5 × 10 –5 tesla at a nominal solar distance of 5 solar radii. Possibly higher magnetic field strengths were indicated at solar maximum, but a lack of data prevented a statistical determination of the mean coronal field during this epoch.  相似文献   

20.
Data on the UT 2005 June 14 mini-outburst of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 taken from different viewpoints have been examined for morphological differences and parallax. The data were taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), from the Deep Impact (DI) spacecraft, and from the Calar Alto Observatory, Spain. The mini-outburst source region was found to be located near 218 ± 6E, 6 ± 5N on the Deep Impact nucleus shape model. The mini-outburst occurred at ∼12 pm local solar time. The distribution of light in the mini-outburst is similar to that expected for an ejecta curtain. The method and software used to determine the surface location was checked using position angles of the impact ejecta plume as seen from DI and HST. The general region of impact was recovered and a downrange tilt of the ejecta curtain axis of 10.2 deg from the surface normal was found. We computed tracks of possible source regions for nine other mini-outbursts seen from DI. Five of these tracks converge on the 2005 June 14 event location. Three of the tracks converge at a second location near (60E, 20S), well separated from the first. Multiple mini-outbursts arise at each location either from a single source or from a few sources in close proximity. The mini-outbursts occur both at night and during the day indicating at most weak, if any, control by direct sunlight. The times of outburst are non-random with a preference for early afternoon, dusk and midnight. None of the mini-outbursts occurred near dawn. They occur at low latitudes (between ±40 deg) near the points where the principal axis of minimum moment of inertia cuts the surface. These regions are furthest from the center of figure and have the lowest effective surface gravity. We use these results to develop a conceptual model of the mini-outburst process and make comparisons with the theoretical calculations. We find that the tensile strength of the sub-surface material must be very low (e.g., ) and, on the basis of features imaged on the western facet of the nucleus, suggest that inflation of the sub-surface may be occurring. Our model makes specific predictions about the kind of surface morphology that should result from mini-outburst activity. We show that one of the isolated rimless depressions and the close-packed depressions found in the Deep Impact images have the properties needed and identify them as possible sites of past and current mini-outburst activity.  相似文献   

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