(Proposal ID) S13A-054

(PI) Kim Yoonyoung

(Proposal Title)
Search for Dormant Comets in Near-Earth Space

(Abstract)
It is considered that comets have been injected into near-Earth space from 
outer region (e.g. Kuiper-belt region), providing rich volatile and organic 
compounds to the earth. Some comets are still active while most of them are 
dormant  with no detectable tails and comae. Here we propose to make a multi-
band photometric observation of near-Earth objects (NEOs) with comet-like 
orbits. We select our targets out of infrared asteroidal catalogs based on 
AKARI and WISE observations. With a combination of taxonomic types by Subaru 
observation and albedos by AKARI or WISE, we aim to dig out dormant comet 
candidates among NEOs. Our results will provide valuable information to figure 
out the dynamical evolution and fate of comets. We would like to emphasize 
that this is the first taxonomic survey of dormant comets to utilize the 
infrared data archive with AKARI and WISE.