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Unidentified ions in cometsOptical spectra were taken of comets Halley, West, and Brorsen-Metcalf in the wavelength region 3200 to 6400 A. These spectra were offset approximately 10(exp -5) to 10(exp -6) km tailward from the nucleus so that the features detected were all ions with the exception of a very small residual C2 emission at 5165 A. The full labeled tail spectrum of comet Halley is given. While most of the features detected are attributable to CO(+), H2O(+), CO2(+), CH(+), and OH(+), there are three moderately strong bands in the spectra of comets Halley and Brorsen-Metcalf which remain unidentified. These features were not detected in comet West. All three spectra in the 4800 to 5400 A region are presented, Brorsen-Metcalf is the gassiest of the three. The central wavelengths of the unidentified features are 4930, 5300, and 6000 A. In an effort to identify the ions responsible for these features as well as to confirm previous identifications, laboratory spectra of ions were compared with the comet spectra. H2O(+) and CO(+) are known to have extensive emission in the 4800 to 6200 A region. Therefore, the possibility that these unidentified features are due to H2O(+) and CO(+) was investigated. A search for the following bands was conducted: H2O(+) (11-0), H2O(+) (12-0), H2O(+) (13-1), CO(+) (1-1), and CO(+) (0-0). CO(+) (1-1) and CO(+) (0-0) were previously identified and are present in all the spectra examined. The H2O(+) (11-0) band was identified. Comparison of the H2O(+) (11-0) synthetic spectrum with comet Brorsen-Metcalf data is presented. The relative fluxes of the blended H2O(+) lines in the synthetic spectrum match those of the cometary data. After eliminating H2O(+) and CO(+) as significant contributors to the stronger unidentified features, spectra of ions which are not yet identified in the optical region of comets were compared to the data. These ions are NH(+), CS(+), and C2(+). None of these ions appears to be a significant contributor to the optical spectra of these three comets. In conclusion, H2O(+) (11-0) was unabiguously identified in cometary optical spectra. No other molecular ion for which there are laboratory spectra can explain the unidentified features found in the ion tails of comets Halley and Brorsen-Metcalf.
Document ID
19910011706
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Engel, Lisa
(Arizona State Univ. Tempe, AZ, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: Southwest Research Inst., Workshop on Observations of Recent Comets (1990)
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
91N21019
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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