Spectroscopy of Comets with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer Satellite

Physics

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Scientific paper

The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite has obtained the spectra of four comets in the wavelength range from 905 to 1187 Å at a spectral resolution of 0.25 Å. The primary objectives were to measure the abundances of simple molecules, H2, CO, and (possibly) N2, and to search for the presence of atomic argon and O VI. Ar is an important diagnostic for cometary formation scenarios while the O VI doublet at 1032 and 1038 Å is expected to be the strongest signature in the FUSE spectral range resulting from charge transfer of solar wind ions with the neutral coma, the primary source of the soft x-ray emission seen in recent comets. Only upper limits were obtained for the emissions of Ar I, O VI, and N2. A large number of emission lines were observed, and only about half of them could be identified with the dissociation products of cometary parent molecules; the remainder remain unidentified and present a challenge to the atomic spectroscopist. The high spectral resolution of FUSE has made possible the identification of the O I intercombination multiplet (5Do 3P) near 1027 Å a possible excitation mechanism is charge transfer of solar wind ions in the coma.

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