On the interpretation of the 3 micron emission feature in the spectrum of Comet Halley: Abundances in Comet Halley and in interstellar matter

Details On the interpretation of the 3 micron emission feature in the spectrum of Comet Halley: Abundances in Comet Halley and in interstellar matter On the interpretation of the 3 micron emission feature in the spectrum of Comet Halley: Abundances in Comet Halley and in interstellar matter

Sep 1987

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987esasp.278..369e&link_type=abstract

In ESA, Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Diversity and Similarity of Comets p 369-376 (SEE N88-21884 14-91)

Computer Science

2

Abundance, Halley'S Comet, Interstellar Chemistry, Interstellar Matter, Spectrum Analysis, Visible Spectrum, Evolution (Development), Granular Materials, Resonance Fluorescence, Solar Radiation

Scientific paper

Comet Halley and interstellar medium visible spectra are compared. Main cometary features are seen around 3.28 micron and 3.37 micron, with no associated feature beyond 6 micron. These features are interpreted as resonance fluorescence by the solar radiation field of hydrocarbon molecules, in the saturated and the nonsaturated (possibly aromatic) form. The total number of carbon atoms in these hydrocarbons is 30 percent of H2O in Halley. This number is used to derive the relative abundances of H:C:N:O in Comet Halley. The result is H:C:N:O equals 1.39:0.39: less than 0.08:1.00, to be compared with the value of H:C:N:O in dense clouds. This comparison suggests that in Halley 40 percent of C and at least 50 percent of N are trapped in cometary grains. The agreement between the derived compositions of interstellar dust and cometary material suggests an analogy in the nature of the original material at the time of the comet's formation, as does the analogy found in the irradiation processes of ices observed in the interstellar medium and in Halley.

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