22.06.2006 |
Early Results from NASA's Deep Impact Mission to Comet Tempel 1
Prof. H. J. Melosh, Lunar and Planetary Lab, University of Arizona
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In the early hours of July 4, 2005, one of the two of NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft splashed down on the surface of Comet Tempel 1 at 10.2 km/sec, creating an impact crater about 100 m in diameter and 30 m deep. The second spacecraft, passing by at the safe distance of 500 km, sent images of the event back to the Earth. The object of this interplanetary kamikaze mission was to dig deep beneath the surface dust deposits and expose the pristine ices that lie 1 to 10 m below the surface. The mission succeeded spectacularly: The impact threw out about 10 million kilograms of fine dust, tarry organic material, frozen water and CO2, after ejecting an initial jet of melted silicates and vaporized ices. Although results are still coming in from more than 4,000 images and spectra returned from the two spacecraft, it is clear that old ideas about the structure of comets must be substantially revised.
Einladender: Prof. Dr. U. Hansen
| Ort: |
Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, IG I, HS 2 |
| Zeit: |
donerstags 16 Uhr c.t. |
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Kolloquiums-Kaffee ab 15:45 Uhr vor dem Hörsaal |
Im Auftrag der Hochschullehrer des Fachbereichs Physik
Prof. Dr. S. Demokritov
