On the Role of Dust Mass Loss in the Evolution of Comets and Dusty Disk Systems

Abstract

We present the results of an ongoing optical/thermal infrared photometric imaging survey of the dust mass loss and nuclear size of comets. We find an evolution with time of the kind of dust emitted from a comet’s surface. Our results indicate that the mass loss rate from the short period comets alone is enough to supply the interplanetary dust (IPD) complex against losses. We conclude that the nature of the IPD cloud has changed over time, with small particles dominating early, and larger particles dominating in the present era. The rate of destruction of short period (SP) comets due to sublimation mass loss is found to be low compared to the rate of surface mantle formation, but fast compared to the rate of their dynamical removal from the inner solar system.