Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Sep 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.1505m&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #15.05
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Scientific paper
We present the analysis of high resolution (R 31,500) optical spectroscopy of comet 17P/Holmes taken with the ARCES echelle spectrograph at Apache Point Observatory from October 25 through October 31 2007. These data cover a period of time one to seven days after its incredible outburst. The 1.6 x 3.2 arcsecond slit was positioned on the optocenter of the coma. An additional observation on October 30 was offset by 5 arcseconds to the west of the optocenter. We report the detection of all three optical forbidden oxygen lines, [OI]5577, [Ol]6300, and [Ol]6364. These lines are particularly important because the ratio of the green line intensity (5577) to the sum of the red line intensities (6300 and 6364) reveals the parent molecule of the atomic oxygen present in the coma. Most of the atomic oxygen in cometary comae originates from the dissociation of either H2O, CO2, or CO by solar UV radiation. Study of the ratio of atoms in the 1S state (green line) to 1D state (red lines) shows which of these species is dominant. Prior observations of several comets at smaller heliocentric distances have shown H2O is the dominant contributor (e.g. Cochran 2008, Icarus 198, 181; Capria et al. 2005, Astronomy and Astrophysics 442, 1121; Cochran and Cochran 2001, Icarus 154, 381). We present an analysis of the forbidden oxygen lines, as well as a possible detection of H-alpha emission and the Na D doublet. We also attempt to extract the dust production rate using the dust reflectance continuum. This work was supported by the NASA EPSCoR program through grant number NNX08AV85A.
Chanover Nancy
McKay Adam
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