Carbon Isotope Abundance Ratios in Comets

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

High resolution (lambda /Delta lambda ~ 10(5) ) spectra of the CN B-X (0-0) band at 3883 Angstroms have been obtained of four comets using the Mt. Stromlo 1.8-m telescope echelle spectrograph. The resolution and the S/N ratios of the spectra are of sufficient quality that (13) C(14) N lines have been identified in two of the comets. A fluorescence equilibrium model has been developed to compute the rotational line populations in the four lowest vibrational levels of the ground electronic state of the CN B-X (0-0) band. Line fluorescence efficiencies and rotational line intensities for all isotopic combinations of (12) C, (13) C, (14) N and (15) N have been computed for a range in heliocentric velocites. The computed CN spectra generated at the observed resolution are compared with the observations, and (12) C/(13) C ratios are derived. We show for the first time that collisions in the inner coma significantly affect the rotational line populations in the lowest vibrational levels of the ground electronic state. We find that the carbon isotope ratios are consistent with terrestrial values in all four comets.

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