The Nucleus of Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution Hubble imaging and non-gravitational acceleration data to constrain the size, density, and physical properties of interstellar comet 2I/Borisov, revealing it is a small, dense nucleus affected by solar torques.

Contribution

First detailed analysis combining imaging and dynamical data to characterize the physical properties of interstellar comet 2I/Borisov.

Findings

Nucleus radius less than 0.5 km from surface brightness modeling.

Nucleus radius greater than 0.2 km from non-gravitational acceleration constraints.

Interstellar objects follow a size distribution with power-law indices less than 4.

Abstract

We present high resolution imaging observations of interstellar comet 2I/Borisov (formerly C/2019 Q4) obtained using the Hubble Space Telescope. Scattering from the comet is dominated by a coma of large particles (characteristic size 0.1 mm) ejected anisotropically. Convolution modeling of the coma surface brightness profile sets a robust limit to the spherical-equivalent nucleus radius r_n < 0.5 km (geometric albedo 0.04 assumed). We obtain an independent constraint based on the non-gravitational acceleration of the nucleus, finding r_n > 0.2 km (nucleus density 500 kg/m3 assumed). The profile and the non-gravitational constraints cannot be simultaneously satisfied if density < 25 kg/m3; the nucleus of comet Borisov cannot be a low density fractal assemblage of the type proposed elsewhere for the nucleus of 1I/'Oumuamua. We show that the spin-up timescale to outgassing torques, even at the measured low production rates, is comparable to or shorter than the residence time in the Sun's water sublimation zone. The spin angular momentum of the nucleus should be changed significantly during the current solar fly-by. Lastly, we find that the differential interstellar size distribution in the 0.5 mm to 100 m size range can be represented by power laws with indices < 4 and that interstellar bodies of 100 m size scale strike Earth every one to two hundred million years.