Search for Methane in Comet p/ Halley

Details Search for Methane in Comet p/ Halley Search for Methane in Comet p/ Halley

Nov 1987

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987a%26a...187..497d&link_type=abstract

Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol.187, NO. 1+2/NOV, P. 497, 1987

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

20

Scientific paper

A search for gaseous neutral CH4 has been conducted in the coma of comet Halley on March 20, 1986 using a Fourier Transform Spectrometer on the NASA Kuiper Airborne Observatory. In the field-of-view (41arcsec diam. corresponding to 24,000 km) the CH4 rotational temperature is equal to the kinetic temperature of the coma molecules due to collisions in most of the region and is frozen in at the outer edge. The spectrum of the ν3 band is due to fluorescence with the R(3) to R(6) lines being most suitable for Earth-based observations. Measured upper (3σ) limits of ˜4×10-19W cm-2 for several lines lead to a (5σ) upper limit of 4×1028CH4 molecules per second. This value corresponds to ˜4% of the water vapor production rate at the time of observation.

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