TY  - JOUR
A1  - Jewitt, David
A1  - Weaver, Harold
A1  - Mutchler, Max
A1  - Larson, Stephen
A1  - Agarwal, Jessica
T1  - Hubble space telescope observations of main-belt comet (596) scheila
JF  - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters
N2  - We present Hubble Space Telescope Observations of (596) Scheila during its recent dust outburst. The nucleus remained point-like with absolute magnitude H(V) = 8.85 +/- 0.02 in our data, equal to the pre-outburst value, with no secondary fragments of diameter >= 100m (for assumed albedos 0.04). We find a coma having a peak scattering cross section similar to 2.2x10(4) km(2), corresponding to a mass in micron-sized particles of similar to 4x10(7) kg. The particles are deflected by solar radiation pressure on projected spatial scales similar to 2x10(4) km, in the sunward direction, and swept from the vicinity of the nucleus on timescales of weeks. The coma fades by similar to 30% between observations on UT 2010 December 27 and 2011 January 4. The observed mass loss is inconsistent with an origin either by rotational instability of the nucleus or by electrostatic ejection of regolith charged by sunlight. Dust ejection could be caused by the sudden but unexplained exposure of buried ice. However, the data are most simply explained by the impact, at similar to 5 km s(-1), of a previously unknown asteroid similar to 35m in diameter.
KW  - comets: general
KW  - comets: individual ((596) Scheila)
KW  - minor planets, asteroids: general
Y1  - 2011
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/733/1/L4
SN  - 2041-8205
VL  - 733
IS  - 1
PB  - IOP Publ. Ltd.
CY  - Bristol
ER  -