Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983 VIII) - Distribution of the dust and of gaseous species in the vicinity of the nucleus
Abstract
Images and spectra of Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock obtained on May 13, 1983 at ESO are analyzed. The distributions of the dust and of gaseous species (C2, CN, C3, NH2, and O I) in a region surrounding the nucleus are derived. The data reveal that the nucleus is surrounded by a cloud of solid particles whose continuum emission distribution is represented by a Gaussian function of about 20 km. The structure of the continuum emission indicates that this central region is embedded in an asymmetric cloud of solid particles of smaller size, and the structure of the gaseous emission distribution reveals that the neutral coma cannot be described in terms of steady activity of the nucleus. The structures of the sunward and antisunward profiles of the continuum emission are compared, and it is determined that the unlit side of the nucleus outgases at a rate one third less than that of the lit side. The lifetimes of the discrete emissions are evaluated.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- March 1987
- Bibcode:
- 1987A&A...174..299F
- Keywords:
-
- Comet Nuclei;
- Cosmic Dust;
- Iras-Araki-Alcock Comet;
- Abundance;
- Spatial Distribution;
- Spectrophotometry;
- COMETS;
- IRAS-ARAKI-ALCOCK;
- DISTRIBUTION;
- DUST;
- GASES;
- SPECTROPHOTOMETRY;
- COMET NUCLEI;
- FLUX;
- SPECTRA;
- CARBON;
- CYANIDE;
- AMMONIA;
- OXYGEN;
- COMAE;
- DISTANCE;
- EMISSIONS;
- CONDENSATION;
- OUTGASSING;
- PARENT MOLECULES;
- IMAGERY;
- EARTH-BASED OBSERVATIONS;
- TELESCOPE METHODS;
- INTENSITY;
- ANALYSIS;
- DENSITY;
- ABUNDANCE;
- PARTICLES;
- Astrophysics; Comets