Collaborations

The ZTF cometary outburst study is done within the context of a few collaborations. First, the University of Maryland is a ZTF Partnership member and I am a member of the ZTF Solar System Working Group, which provides access to the full ZTF data set. The core prompt outburst discovery and follow-up team is myself, Dennis Bodewits (Auburn University), and Quanzhi Ye (UMD). Second, I am co-leading a 3-year study of cometary and asteroidal outbursts with Tim Lister (Las Cumbres Observatory), something we call the LOOK Project. Third, Silvia Protopapa (Southwest Research Institute), Bin Yang (ESO), and I are studying the water ice content of cometary outbursts in a NASA Solar System Observations project that I lead.

Gallery

Prompt outburst survey and follow-up

We inspect images and photometry of all comets observed by ZTF daily for evidence of outbursts. If an outburst or similar event is identified, we attempt to confirm the event, and/or publicly announce the discovery, typically as an Astronomer's Telegram or Central Bureau Electronic Telegram. We then consider our own follow-up programs, and schedule observations as appropriate. Find below a list of all our prompt cometary announcements.

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ZTF cometary data

We have photometry of all comets (and some asteroids) observed with ZTF, and are inspecting the data for evidence of outbursts, especially those missed during our prompt survey. The data set will also be useful for the study of cometary coma colors, and the long-term behavior of individual and sub-sets of comets. The ZTF Phase I data (March 2018 to December 2020) is in preparation for publication, but we have released occasional interim reports on particular objects.

All data published outside of our prompt survey are listed below.

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