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Issue A&A
Volume 368, Number 3, March IV 2001
Page(s) L25 - L28
Section Letters
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20010182



A&A 368, L25-L28 (2001)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20010182

Impact-triggered breakup of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR): Identification of the closest intersecting orbits of other small bodies with its orbit

I. Toth

Konkoly Observatory, PO Box 67, Budapest 1525, Hungary

(Received 6 December 2000 / Accepted 1 February 2001)

Abstract
As we are still not certain of the causes of the splitting of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR), we attempt to explain the initiation and/or triggering of the breakup of the nucleus of this comet by impact-induced events from possible larger debris or a debris cloud dispersed around the orbits of known asteroids. A computer search showed that Comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) crossed the orbits of seven known asteroids from December 1999 to March 2000. Impact-induced activity may have initiated or contributed to the breakup process of this comet in late 1999 or early 2000 creating the observed fragments in July and August 2000.


Key words: comets: individual: C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) -- meteors, meteoroids -- minor planets, asteroids -- Solar system: general

Offprint request: I. Toth, tothi@konkoly.hu




© ESO 2001


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