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C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) At Ir Wavelengths And The Variability Of Co Abundances Among Oort Cloud Comets, L. Paganini, M. Mumma, G. Villanueva, J. Keane, G. Blake, B. Bonev, M. Disanti, E. Gibb, K. Meech
C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) At Ir Wavelengths And The Variability Of Co Abundances Among Oort Cloud Comets, L. Paganini, M. Mumma, G. Villanueva, J. Keane, G. Blake, B. Bonev, M. Disanti, E. Gibb, K. Meech
Physics Faculty Works
We report production rates, rotational temperatures, and related parameters for gases in C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) using the Near InfraRed SPECtrometer at the Keck Observatory, on six UT dates spanning heliocentric distances (Rh ) that decreased from 1.35 AU to 1.16 AU (pre-perihelion). We quantified nine gaseous species (H2O, OH*, CO, CH4, HCN, C2H6, CH3OH, NH3, and NH2) and obtained upper limits for two others (C2H2 and H2CO). Compared with organics-normal comets, our results reveal highly enriched CO, (at most) slightly enriched CH3OH, C2H6, and HCN, and CH4 consistent with "normal", yet depleted, NH3, C2H2, and H2CO. Rotational temperatures increased from …