Continuous Fragmentation of Comet 157P/Tritton

TL;DR

This study reports continuous fragmentation of comet 157P/Tritton driven by outgassing torques causing rotational instability, observed over multiple years, highlighting a potential runaway disintegration process.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed observational evidence linking comet fragmentation to outgassing-induced rotational spin-up over an extended period.

Findings

Fragmentation persisted throughout the observation period.

Outbursts correlated with increased spin rates and fragmentation.

Potential for runaway disintegration due to ongoing outgassing torques.

Abstract

We observed the split comet 157P/Tritton in October - November 2022 and January 2024 with the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT). Our observations show that the splitting continued during the entire observing campaign. Fragmentation was associated with outbursts, consistent with the action of outgassing torques that spun up the nucleus and its fragments to the point of rotational instability. The outburst-fragmentation events can lead to a runaway process where the increasing spin rate, driven by outgassing torques, results in repeated mass loss, until the sublimating body completely disintegrates.