TY - JOUR
T1 - Remote infrared observations of parent volatiles in comets
T2 - A window on the early solar system
AU - Mumma, M. J.
AU - DiSanti, M. A.
AU - Dello Russo, N.
AU - Magee-Sauer, K.
AU - Gibb, E.
AU - Novak, R.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank H. A. Weaver and an anonymous referee for helpful suggestions that strengthened this paper. This work was supported by NASA’s Planetary Astronomy Program (RTOP 344-32-30-07 to MJM and NAG512208 to MAD), by NASA’s Planetary Atmospheres Program (RTOP 344-33-00-53 to MJM, and NAG510795 and NAGS-12285 to NDR), by NSF’s Research at Undergraduate Institutions Program (Grant 98411 to KM-S), and by the National Research Council (Resident Research Associateship to ELG).
PY - 2003
Y1 - 2003
N2 - Organic volatiles and water in Oort Cloud comets were investigated at infrared wavelengths. The detected species include H 2 O, CO, CH 3 OH, CH 4 , C 2 H 2 , C 2 H 6 , OCS, HCN, NH 3 , and H 2 CO. Several daughter fragments (CN, OH, NH 2 , etc.) are also measured, and OH prompt emission provides a proxy for water. Long-slit spectra are taken at high spectral dispersion and high spatial resolution, eliminating several sources of systematic error. The resulting parent volatile production rates are highly robust, permitting a sensitive search for compositional diversity among comets. Here, seven OC comets are compared. Six (including Halley) exhibit similar compositions (excepting CO and CH 4 ). Their low formation temperatures (∼30 K) suggest this group probably formed beyond 30 AU from the young sun. However, C/1999 S4 is severely depleted in hypervolatiles and also in methanol, and it likely formed near 5 - 10 AU. C/2001 A2 is discussed briefly to illustrate future prospects.
AB - Organic volatiles and water in Oort Cloud comets were investigated at infrared wavelengths. The detected species include H 2 O, CO, CH 3 OH, CH 4 , C 2 H 2 , C 2 H 6 , OCS, HCN, NH 3 , and H 2 CO. Several daughter fragments (CN, OH, NH 2 , etc.) are also measured, and OH prompt emission provides a proxy for water. Long-slit spectra are taken at high spectral dispersion and high spatial resolution, eliminating several sources of systematic error. The resulting parent volatile production rates are highly robust, permitting a sensitive search for compositional diversity among comets. Here, seven OC comets are compared. Six (including Halley) exhibit similar compositions (excepting CO and CH 4 ). Their low formation temperatures (∼30 K) suggest this group probably formed beyond 30 AU from the young sun. However, C/1999 S4 is severely depleted in hypervolatiles and also in methanol, and it likely formed near 5 - 10 AU. C/2001 A2 is discussed briefly to illustrate future prospects.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0273-1177(03)00578-7
DO - 10.1016/S0273-1177(03)00578-7
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0141748455
SN - 0273-1177
VL - 31
SP - 2563
EP - 2575
JO - Advances in Space Research
JF - Advances in Space Research
IS - 12
ER -