The Discovery of Argon in Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp)
Preprint
- 17 November 2000
Abstract
On 30.14 March 1997 we observed the EUV spectrum of the bright comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) at the time of its perihelion, using our EUVS sounding rocket telescope/spectrometer. The spectra reveal the presence H Ly beta, O+, and, most notably, Argon. Modelling of the retrieved Ar production rates indicates that comet Hale-Bopp is enriched in Ar relative to cosmogonic expectations. This in turn indicates that Hale-Bopp's deep interior has never been exposed to the 35-40 K temperatures necessary to deplete the comet's primordial argon supply.Keywords
All Related Versions
- Version 1, 2000-11-17, ArXiv
- Published version: The Astrophysical Journal, 544 (2), L169.
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