On the rotational breakup of cometary nuclei and centaurs

摘要: Abstract Here we estimate the regions of stability, fragmentation, and destruction for cometary bodies versus rotational breakup in radius–rotational period plane. By testing different plausible physical models nucleus equation state, show that plane is divided into 3 segments: allowed, damaged, forbidden regions. We then compare location well-observed comets with respect to separation lines. The range constituent material parameters from literature nuclei are used all observed lie allowed region, except Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale–Bopp), which resides damaged region (where body fractured only held together gravitationally). speculate extremely high activity demonstrated by Hale–Bopp during 1997 apparition may have been due its highly state. Hyakutake, emit fragments at perigee 1996, be near boundary region. C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) was solidly rotationally making disintegration July 2000 centrifugal forces unlikely. In contrast comets, centaurs do not cluster majority falling instead stable against assuming much stronger solid water ice properties, strongly suggesting on whole, these bulk properties than nuclei.