Comet P/Halley - Spatial distributions and scale lengths for C2, CN, NH2, and H2O

Abstract

Long-slit spectroscopic observations of Comet P/Halley on 12 dates between October 1985 and May 1986 were used to extract spatial profiles for C2, CN, NH2, and O I (1D) (which effectively map out the comet's H2O distribution), and Haser model scale lengths were fitted to these data. The preperihelion analysis yielded Haser model scale lengths of sufficient consistency that they could be used for the production rate determinations. It was found that the average parent scale lengths found for NH2 were consistent with photodissociation lifetimes for NH3 and confirm the dissociation chain NH3-NH2-NH.