Spin Temperatures of Ammonia and Water Molecules in Comets

Abstract

The nuclear spin temperature, which is derived from the ortho-to-para abundance ratio of molecules measured in cometary comae, is a clue to the formation conditions of cometary materials, especially the physical temperature at which the molecules were formed. In this paper we present new results for the nuclear spin temperatures of ammonia in comets Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1) and 153P/Ikeya-Zhang based on observations of NH2 at 26 and 32 K, respectively. These results are similar to previous measurements in two other comets, and the nuclear spin temperatures of ammonia in the four comets are concentrated at about 30 K. We emphasize that the nuclear spin temperatures of water measured thus far have also been about 30 K. In particular, the spin temperatures of ammonia and water are equal to each other within ±1 σ error bars in the case of comet Hale-Bopp. These nuclear spin temperatures of ammonia and water were measured under quite different conditions (heliocentric distances and gas production rates). There is no clear trend between the nuclear spin temperatures and the heliocentric distances, the gas production rates, or the orbital periods of the comets. The possibilities of the ortho-to-para conversion in the coma and in the nucleus are discussed. The present data set implies that the ortho-to-para ratios were not altered after the molecules were incorporated into the cometary nuclei. It appears that cometary ammonia and water molecules formed on cold grains at about 30 K.