The Discovery of Argon in Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp)
Open Access
- 1 December 2000
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Astronomical Society in The Astrophysical Journal
- Vol. 544 (2) , L169-L172
- https://doi.org/10.1086/317312
Abstract
On 1997 March 30.14, we observed the EUV spectrum of the bright comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) at the time of its perihelion, using our Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrograph sounding-rocket telescope/spectrometer. The spectra reveal the presence H Lyβ, O+, and, most notably, argon. Modeling 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
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