Chemistry in cometary comae

Authors

William M. Irvine, University of Massachusetts - AmherstFollow
JE Dickens
AJ Lovell
FP Schloerb
M Senay
EA Bergin
D Jewitt
HE Matthews

Publication Date

1998

Journal or Book Title

FARADAY DISCUSSIONS

Abstract

Significant gas-phase chemistry occurs in the comae of bright comets, as is demonstrated here for the case of Comet Hale–Bopp. The abundance ratio of the two isomers, hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen isocyanide, is shown to vary with heliocentric distance in a way that is consistent with production of HNC by ion–molecule chemistry initiated by the photoionization of water. Likewise, the first maps of emission from HCO⁺ show an abundance and an extended distribution that are consistent with the same chemical model.

Comments

The published version is located at http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/1998/FD/a709289j

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021534417261

Pages

475-492

Volume

109

Issue

109

Recommended Citation

Irvine, William M.; Dickens, JE; Lovell, AJ; Schloerb, FP; Senay, M; Bergin, EA; Jewitt, D; and Matthews, HE, "Chemistry in cometary comae" (1998). FARADAY DISCUSSIONS. 479.
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021534417261