HST Observations of Periodic Comets

Details HST Observations of Periodic Comets HST Observations of Periodic Comets

Jul 1991

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1991hst..prop.2481w&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #2481

Physics

Hst Proposal Id #2481

Scientific paper

The volatile composition of comets is a key diagnostic of cometary formation enviroments. The trace molecular composition of cometary nuclei, in particular, can be used to infer the physical and chemical state of the solar nebula or of the interstellar cloud from which the nebula condensed. Measuring these molecular abundances is extremely difficult due to the intrinsic weakness of the emissions from the trace species and can normally be attempted only on exceptionally bright comets. The advent of HST extends the feasibility of observing trace molecules to relatively faint, periodic comets. Thus, the compositions of "new" and "old" comets can be compared systematically. We propose using the FOS to obtain the volatile inventory in the brightest periodic comet appearing during the first HST GO cycle. Current the best candidate appears to be Comet Hartley-2 which reaches perihelion during September 1991. Simultaneous UV and visible spectra will be used to measure the abundances of the important carbon-, nitrogen-, and sulfur-bearing species in the nucleus. The geometry of Hartley-2's apparition is particularly favorable making it an excellent candidate for HST observations.

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