The 1995 2002 Long-Term Monitoring of Comet C/1995 O1 (HALE BOPP) at Radio Wavelength
Abstract
The bright comet Hale Bopp provided the first opportunity to follow the outgassing rates of a number of molecular species over a large range of heliocentric distances. We present the results of our observing campaign at radio wavelengths which began in August 1995 and ended in January 2002. The observations were carried out with the telescopes of Nançay, IRAM, JCMT, CSO and, since September 1997, SEST. The lines of nine molecules (OH, CO, HCN, CH3OH, H2CO, H2S, CS, CH3CN and HNC) were monitored. CS, H2S, H2CO, CH3CN were detected up to rh= 3 4 AU from the Sun, while HCN and CH3OH were detected up to 6 AU. CO, which is the main driver of cometary activity at heliocentric distances larger than 3 4 AU, was last detected in August 2001, at rh= 14 AU.
- Publication:
-
Earth Moon and Planets
- Pub Date:
- June 2002
- DOI:
- 10.1023/A:1021599915018
- Bibcode:
- 2002EM&P...90....5B
- Keywords:
-
- C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp);
- comets;
- molecules;
- radio observations;
- C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp);
- comets;
- molecules;
- radio observations