Luminosity and spatial distribution of the forbidden O I 6300-A emission in comets

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (26) References (16) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Luminosity and spatial distribution of the forbidden O I 6300-A emission in comets Fink, U. ; Johnson, J. R. Abstract The authors have obtained CCD observations of the forbidden oxygen lines at 6300 and 6364 Å for the comets Tuttle, Stephan-Oterma, and Brooks 2. Their high-quality observations have allowed the authors to perform good cancellation of the night sky [O I] lines and to determine the spatial profiles and the absolute luminosities of the cometary [O I] lines. Analysis of both the spatial emission profiles and the total [O I] flux demonstrates that the source of the observed [O I] photons is direct photodissociation of water vapor. Production of O1D by dissociation of OH is of minor importance in the inner coma, but becomes dominant at larger distances from the nucleus. Spatial profiles for comets Tuttle and Stephan-Oterma agree well with the model calculations of Festou and Feldman (1981), as well as with a more simple Haser model having a scale length at 1 AU of 8.2×104km for the parent molecule water vapor. Publication: The Astronomical Journal Pub Date: October 1984 DOI: 10.1086/113660 Bibcode: 1984AJ.....89.1565F Keywords: Astronomical Spectroscopy; Comets; Forbidden Bands; Oxygen Spectra; Visible Spectrum; Charge Coupled Devices; Emission Spectra; Luminous Intensity; Spatial Distribution; COMETS; EMISSIONS; LUMINOSITY; DISTRIBUTION; CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES; CCDS; TUTTLE; STEPHAN-OTERMA; BROOKS 2; ASTRONOMY; OBSERVATIONS; FLUX; ANALYSIS; SOURCE; PHOTONS; PHOTODISSOCIATION; WATER; PRODUCTION RATES; VAPOR; COMAE; COMET NUCLEI; COMPARISONS; PARENT MOLECULES; PHOTOMETRY; DISTRIBUTIONS; SPECTROSCOPY; TECHNIQUES; SHORT PERIOD COMETS; Astrophysics: Comets full text sources ADS |