Deep Impact experiment: possible observable effects

A hypervelocity collision of a metal impactor and the nucleus of the Tempel 1 comet is to be carried out in July 2005 in the framework of the Deep Impact active experiment in space. This paper discusses certain observable consequences of this impact. Numerical simulation of the impact process made it possible to evaluate the diameter of the impact-produced crater as a function of the initial density and porosity of the cometary nucleus. A substantial part of the shockwave-compressed cometary material that is evaporated at the unloading stage may become heated to temperatures on the order of $(1-2)\times 10^4$ K. A change in the chemical composition of the hot vapor in the process of its expansion was computed using a model elemental composition of the cometary nucleus; this may prove useful for determining the parameters of the flash induced by the impact in the visible optical, UV, IR, and radio wavelength bands.