High-Resolution Map of Zodiacal Dust Bands by WIZARD

  • Yang, Hongu (Seoul National University) ;
  • Ishiguro, Masateru (Seoul National University) ;
  • Usui, Fumihiko (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) ;
  • Ueno, Munetaka (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
  • Published : 2012.04.03

Abstract

Interplanetary dust particles are observable as zodiacal light, which is the sunlight scattered by the interplanetary dust particles. The origins of interplanetary dust particles are still in question because they are eroded by Poynting-Robertson photon drag and mutual collisions among dust particles. The small-scale structures in the zodiacal light provided a clue to specify their origins. Asteroidal debris were detected as band-like structures (dust bands), and the cometary large particles were detected as narrow trails (dust trails). However, little is confirmative about their detailed origins and mineralogical compositions because of the lack of observational data particularly in the optical wavelength. We made a high-resolution optical zodiacal light map based on the CCD observations at Mauna Kea, Hawaii. We analyzed data taken on November 12, 2004. After the data reduction, such as flat fielding and subtraction of airglow emissions, we succeeded in the construction of the zodiacal light map with the spatial resolution of 3' in the solar elongation between 45 degree and 180 degree. This is the highest resolution map in the visible wavelength so far. In this map, we confirmed the dust bands structures near the ecliptic plane. We will discuss about the similarities and the differences between optical and infrared dust bands.

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