Volatile Composition and Cosmogonic Indicators of Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin)
Abstract
We obtained high-resolution (RP 25,000) near-infrared spectroscopic observations of Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin) on 31 January and 1 February 2009 with the NIRSPEC instrument on Keck II in Hawaii. We report production rates and rotational temperatures of H2O, C2H6, HCN, C2H2, CH4, NH3, H2CO, and CH3OH. We also report upper limits for deuterated species HDO and CH3D. While the rotational temperature reflects conditions in the coma, the spin temperature is thought to be an indicator of the formation temperature for a particular molecule. We have determined spin temperatures for both water and CH4. We discuss spin temperatures and upper limits of deuterated species in terms of formation temperatures in the solar nebula.
We gratefully acknowledge support from the NSF Planetary Astronomy Program, the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program, and the NASA Astrobiology Program.- Publication:
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AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts #42
- Pub Date:
- October 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010DPS....42.2818G