Detection of Abundant Ethane in Comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) and Comet C/1995 01 (Hale-Bopp): Evidence for Modified Interstellar Ice

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

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Abundant ethane (C_2H_6) was detected in Comet C/1996 B2 and in Comet C/1995 01 with the use of high-resolution infrared spectroscopy at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea. Ro-vibrational lines of the nu_7 band were used to derive production rates and rotational temperatures for ethane in these two comets. It was found that the ratio of C_2H_6/H_2O was higher in Comet C/1996 B2 by about a factor of two. A high abundance of ethane is consistent with production of C_2H_6 in modified icy grain mantles in the natal cloud. Ethane could form either by photolysis of methane rich ice or by hydrogen- addition reactions to condensed acetylene. The lower abundance of ethane relative to water in C/1995 01 suggests that processing of pre-cometary ices varied for these two comets.

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