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The Near Ultraviolet Spectra of Comets P/Brorsen-Metcalf and AustinWe-report results of spectrophotometric observations of comets P/Brorsen-Metcalf and Austin from 3000 to 3600Å at a spectral resolution of about 1.8A. The strongest features are the OII (A-X) 0-0 and 1-1 bands, and the NH (A-X) 0-0 bands. We have clearly found, for the first time, the OII (A-X) 0-1 band. We verify the existence of, and quantitatively measure, the CN (B-X) 2-1 and 3-2 bands, We detect a feature at 3258Å that was first seen in uncalibrated spectra, and suggest identification as the NH singlet (c-a) 0-0 transition. We have also firmly identified the CO features at 3378, 3504, and 3512Å. This ion was reported as being present in the tail of Comet Hester (1948 I) by Swings and Page (1950). We propose identification of a weak feature at 3547Å as the fundamental transition of H2CO, which would make this the first optical cometary detection of this molecule which is very abundant in giant molecular clouds.
Document ID
19910011709
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
W D Cochran ORCID
(The University of Texas at Austin Austin, United States)
C R O'Dell
(Rice University Houston, United States)
C O Miller
(Rice University Houston, United States)
A L Cochran ORCID
(The University of Texas at Austin Austin, United States)
C B Opal
(The University of Texas at Austin Austin, United States)
D Valk
(Rice University Houston, United States)
E S Barker
(The University of Texas at Austin Austin, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
June 15, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: Workshop on Observations of Recent Comets (1990)
Publisher: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-188960
Meeting Information
Meeting: Workshop on Observations of Recent Comets
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Country: US
Start Date: June 15, 1990
End Date: June 16, 1990
Sponsors: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Accession Number
91N21022
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-29451
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-1477
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-8912869
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Use by or on behalf of the US Gov. Permitted.

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