The Volatile Composition of New Comets Cycle 4

Details The Volatile Composition of New Comets Cycle 4 The Volatile Composition of New Comets Cycle 4

Jul 1994

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994hst..prop.5507w&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #5507

Physics

Hst Proposal Id #5507 Solar System Comets

Scientific paper

The volatile composition of a comet is a sensitive indicator of its formation environment. In particular, the relative abundances of trace molecules in cometary nuclei can be used to infer the physical and chemical state of either the solar nebula or the interstellar cloud from which the nebula condensed. We propose using the FOS to obtain the volatile inventory in any ``new'' comet attaining a total visual magnitude of 7 or brighter during Cycle 3. A comprehensive spectrum from 1150 A to 6820 A will be used to measure the abundances of the important carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur bearing species in the nucleus (e.g.,H2O,CO,CO2,CH4,NH3,HCN,CS2,S2). ``Prompt'' emission from CO will be used to probe the CO2 abundance, a technique that was discovered during previous HST observations of comets. These observations will also provide a very sensitive search for any possible new cometary species, including a variety of diatomic molecules that fluoresce in spectral regions where IUE has very poor response (e.g., SO, NO, SH). Using spatially resolved FOS spectra, information will be obtained on the spatial brightness distribution of the species allowing discrimination between molecules that are present as ice in the nucleus and those that are produced by an extended source (e.g., from organic grains). Finally, the short term variability of the gas and dust emission from the comet will be monitored using temporally resolved FOS spectra.

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