Detection of parent molecules in Comet Halley from the IKS-Vega experiment
Abstract
Several parent molecules have been detected in comet Halley using the 2.5 - 5 microns channel of the IKS experiment aboard Vega 1. The spectral resolving power was about 40 at 2.5 microns and 70 at 5 microns. The υ3 band of H2O has been observed at 2.7 microns, with an intensity corresponding to a production rate of about 1030s-1. The υ3 band of CO2 has been detected for the first time at 4.3 microns; the derived CO2/H2O ratio is 1.5×10-2. In addition, there are emission features between 3.3 microns and 3.7 microns, also observed for the first time in a comet, which could be attributed to CH-bearing molecules. Other weaker spectral signatures are also tentatively identified.
- Publication:
-
ESLAB Symposium on the Exploration of Halley's Comet
- Pub Date:
- December 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986ESASP.250a.353C
- Keywords:
-
- Chemical Composition;
- Halley'S Comet;
- Infrared Spectroscopy;
- Molecular Spectroscopy;
- Vega Project;
- Carbon Dioxide;
- Spectral Emission;
- Spectral Signatures;
- Water;
- Astrophysics;
- CHEMICAL COMPOSITION;
- HALLEY'S COMET;
- INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY;
- MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY;
- VEGA PROJECT;
- CARBON DIOXIDE;
- SPECTRAL EMISSION;
- SPECTRAL SIGNATURES;
- WATER