Temporal Variability of Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock 1983d: The May 10 Event
Abstract
Spectrophotometric observations of comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock 1983d between λλ4000 and 4900 obtained on the night of 1983 May 9/10 revealed an abrupt and dramatic brightening of the inner coma during the 20 minute interval between UT 0618 and 0638, preceded and followed by periods of nominal stability. These measurements, recorded at a resolution of 1.7 Å, have been reduced to absolute fluxes, and molecular column densities for C2, C3, CN, and CH have been extracted. These data and complementary observations recorded shortly after the brightening are qualitatively discussed in terms of two processes which could be responsible for the variations: (1) active sublimation of rocky ices ejected by the nucleus, and (2) interactions between the coma and the solar wind.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- September 1986
- DOI:
- 10.1086/164567
- Bibcode:
- 1986ApJ...308..993L
- Keywords:
-
- Astronomical Spectroscopy;
- Iras-Araki-Alcock Comet;
- Temporal Distribution;
- Visible Spectrum;
- Abundance;
- Comet Nuclei;
- Astrophysics;
- ABUNDANCES;
- COMETS;
- SPECTROPHOTOMETRY