Infrared Spectroscopy of the ν3 Band of Hydrogen Cyanide in Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp

Karen Magee-Sauer; Michael J. Mumma; Michael A. Disanti; Neil Dello Russo; Terrence W. Rettig

doi:10.1006/icar.1999.6215

Infrared Spectroscopy of the ν₃ Band of Hydrogen Cyanide in Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp

Karen Magee-Sauer, Michael J. Mumma, Michael A. Disanti, Neil Dello Russo, Terrence W. Rettig

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Abstract

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) was detected in Comet Hale-Bopp at infrared wavelengths near 3.0 μm on four dates between Feb 24.0 and May 1.0 1997 using high-resolution spectroscopy. The average rotational temperature retrieved for the (001) vibrational level on UT 1997 April 29.9 was (95±6) K near the nucleus, increasing to (122±8) K in the intermediate coma (4″-10″ off the nucleus). The HCN production rate on April 29.9 was (3.09±0.13)×10²⁸ molecules s^-1. When compared with the water production rate obtained from direct measurements of the H₂O 100-010 band on common observation dates using the same instrument and data processing algorithms, the weighted average (for the four dates) of the relative abundance (HCN/H₂O) was (0.40±0.05)%. The measured spatial distribution for HCN is consistent with its release at the nucleus - no significant contribution from a distributed source is required within 10,000 km of the nucleus.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	498-508
Number of pages	11
Journal	Icarus
Volume	142
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1006/icar.1999.6215
State	Published - Dec 1999

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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@article{3067c9c98967489e84d93994dd94bd25,

title = "Infrared Spectroscopy of the ν3 Band of Hydrogen Cyanide in Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp",

abstract = "Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) was detected in Comet Hale-Bopp at infrared wavelengths near 3.0 μm on four dates between Feb 24.0 and May 1.0 1997 using high-resolution spectroscopy. The average rotational temperature retrieved for the (001) vibrational level on UT 1997 April 29.9 was (95±6) K near the nucleus, increasing to (122±8) K in the intermediate coma (4″-10″ off the nucleus). The HCN production rate on April 29.9 was (3.09±0.13)×1028 molecules s-1. When compared with the water production rate obtained from direct measurements of the H2O 100-010 band on common observation dates using the same instrument and data processing algorithms, the weighted average (for the four dates) of the relative abundance (HCN/H2O) was (0.40±0.05)%. The measured spatial distribution for HCN is consistent with its release at the nucleus - no significant contribution from a distributed source is required within 10,000 km of the nucleus.",

author = "Karen Magee-Sauer and Mumma, {Michael J.} and Disanti, {Michael A.} and Russo, {Neil Dello} and Rettig, {Terrence W.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation RUI Grant AST-9619461, NASA JOVE program, Rowan University, and the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program under RTOP 344-32-30-07. We are grateful to the outstanding support from the staff of the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. The University of Hawaii under contract to NASA operates the NASA IRTF. KM-S thanks Rowan University undergraduate Kim D. Ha for her assistance in this project.",

year = "1999",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1006/icar.1999.6215",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "142",

pages = "498--508",

journal = "Icarus",

issn = "0019-1035",

publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",

number = "2",

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T1 - Infrared Spectroscopy of the ν3 Band of Hydrogen Cyanide in Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp

AU - Magee-Sauer, Karen

AU - Mumma, Michael J.

AU - Disanti, Michael A.

AU - Russo, Neil Dello

AU - Rettig, Terrence W.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation RUI Grant AST-9619461, NASA JOVE program, Rowan University, and the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program under RTOP 344-32-30-07. We are grateful to the outstanding support from the staff of the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. The University of Hawaii under contract to NASA operates the NASA IRTF. KM-S thanks Rowan University undergraduate Kim D. Ha for her assistance in this project.

PY - 1999/12

Y1 - 1999/12

N2 - Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) was detected in Comet Hale-Bopp at infrared wavelengths near 3.0 μm on four dates between Feb 24.0 and May 1.0 1997 using high-resolution spectroscopy. The average rotational temperature retrieved for the (001) vibrational level on UT 1997 April 29.9 was (95±6) K near the nucleus, increasing to (122±8) K in the intermediate coma (4″-10″ off the nucleus). The HCN production rate on April 29.9 was (3.09±0.13)×1028 molecules s-1. When compared with the water production rate obtained from direct measurements of the H2O 100-010 band on common observation dates using the same instrument and data processing algorithms, the weighted average (for the four dates) of the relative abundance (HCN/H2O) was (0.40±0.05)%. The measured spatial distribution for HCN is consistent with its release at the nucleus - no significant contribution from a distributed source is required within 10,000 km of the nucleus.

AB - Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) was detected in Comet Hale-Bopp at infrared wavelengths near 3.0 μm on four dates between Feb 24.0 and May 1.0 1997 using high-resolution spectroscopy. The average rotational temperature retrieved for the (001) vibrational level on UT 1997 April 29.9 was (95±6) K near the nucleus, increasing to (122±8) K in the intermediate coma (4″-10″ off the nucleus). The HCN production rate on April 29.9 was (3.09±0.13)×1028 molecules s-1. When compared with the water production rate obtained from direct measurements of the H2O 100-010 band on common observation dates using the same instrument and data processing algorithms, the weighted average (for the four dates) of the relative abundance (HCN/H2O) was (0.40±0.05)%. The measured spatial distribution for HCN is consistent with its release at the nucleus - no significant contribution from a distributed source is required within 10,000 km of the nucleus.

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Infrared Spectroscopy of the ν₃ Band of Hydrogen Cyanide in Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp

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