Combined BIMA and OVRO observations of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)

Michiel R. Hogerheijde; Imke De Pater; Melvyn Wright; J. R. Forster; L. E. Snyder; A. Remijan; L. M. Woodney; M. F. A'Hearn; Patrick Palmer; Y. J. Kuan; H. C. Huang; Geoffrey A. Blake; Chunhua Qi; Jacqueline Kessler; S. Y. Liu

doi:10.1086/382710

Combined BIMA and OVRO observations of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)

Michiel R. Hogerheijde^*, Imke De Pater, Melvyn Wright, J. R. Forster, L. E. Snyder, A. Remijan, L. M. Woodney, M. F. A'Hearn, Patrick Palmer, Y. J. Kuan, H. C. Huang, Geoffrey A. Blake, Chunhua Qi, Jacqueline Kessler, S. Y. Liu

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Earth Sciences (Include Institute of Marine Environmental Science and Technology)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present results from an observing campaign of the molecular content of the coma of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) carried out jointly with the millimeter arrays of the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association (BIMA) and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO). Using the BIMA array in autocorrelation ("single-dish") mode, we detected weak HCN J = 1-0 emission from comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) at 14 ± 4 mK km s^-1 averaged over the 143″ beam. The 3 days over which emission was detected, 2000 July 21.9-24.2, immediately precede the reported full breakup of the nucleus of this comet. During this same period, we find an upper limit for HCN J = 1-0 of 144 mJy beam^-1 km s^-1 (203 mK km s^-1) in the 9″ × 12″ synthesized beam of combined observations of BIMA and OVRO in cross-correlation ("imaging") mode. Together with reported values of HCN J = 1-0 emission in the 28″ IRAM 30 m beam, our data probe the spatial distribution of the HCN emission from radii of 1300 to 19,000 km. Using literature results of HCN excitation in cometary comae, we find that the relative line fluxes in the 12″ × 9″, 28″, and 143″ beams are consistent with expectations for a nuclear source of HCN and expansion of the volatile gases and evaporating icy grains following a Haser model.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2406-2412
Number of pages	7
Journal	Astronomical Journal
Volume	127
Issue number	4 1780
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/382710
Publication status	Published - 2004 Apr

Keywords

Comets: individual (C/1999 S4 (LINEAR))
Radiative transfer
Radio lines: solar system
Techniques: interferometric

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/382710

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@article{a452d7e541c44b739e59918ae90348ab,

title = "Combined BIMA and OVRO observations of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)",

abstract = "We present results from an observing campaign of the molecular content of the coma of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) carried out jointly with the millimeter arrays of the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association (BIMA) and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO). Using the BIMA array in autocorrelation ({"}single-dish{"}) mode, we detected weak HCN J = 1-0 emission from comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) at 14 ± 4 mK km s-1 averaged over the 143″ beam. The 3 days over which emission was detected, 2000 July 21.9-24.2, immediately precede the reported full breakup of the nucleus of this comet. During this same period, we find an upper limit for HCN J = 1-0 of 144 mJy beam-1 km s-1 (203 mK km s-1) in the 9″ × 12″ synthesized beam of combined observations of BIMA and OVRO in cross-correlation ({"}imaging{"}) mode. Together with reported values of HCN J = 1-0 emission in the 28″ IRAM 30 m beam, our data probe the spatial distribution of the HCN emission from radii of 1300 to 19,000 km. Using literature results of HCN excitation in cometary comae, we find that the relative line fluxes in the 12″ × 9″, 28″, and 143″ beams are consistent with expectations for a nuclear source of HCN and expansion of the volatile gases and evaporating icy grains following a Haser model.",

keywords = "Comets: individual (C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)), Radiative transfer, Radio lines: solar system, Techniques: interferometric",

author = "Hogerheijde, {Michiel R.} and {De Pater}, Imke and Melvyn Wright and Forster, {J. R.} and Snyder, {L. E.} and A. Remijan and Woodney, {L. M.} and A'Hearn, {M. F.} and Patrick Palmer and Kuan, {Y. J.} and Huang, {H. C.} and Blake, {Geoffrey A.} and Chunhua Qi and Jacqueline Kessler and Liu, {S. Y.}",

year = "2004",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1086/382710",

language = "English",

volume = "127",

pages = "2406--2412",

journal = "Astronomical Journal",

issn = "0004-6256",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "4 1780",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Combined BIMA and OVRO observations of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)

AU - Hogerheijde, Michiel R.

AU - De Pater, Imke

AU - Wright, Melvyn

AU - Forster, J. R.

AU - Snyder, L. E.

AU - Remijan, A.

AU - Woodney, L. M.

AU - A'Hearn, M. F.

AU - Palmer, Patrick

AU - Kuan, Y. J.

AU - Huang, H. C.

AU - Blake, Geoffrey A.

AU - Qi, Chunhua

AU - Kessler, Jacqueline

AU - Liu, S. Y.

PY - 2004/4

Y1 - 2004/4

N2 - We present results from an observing campaign of the molecular content of the coma of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) carried out jointly with the millimeter arrays of the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association (BIMA) and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO). Using the BIMA array in autocorrelation ("single-dish") mode, we detected weak HCN J = 1-0 emission from comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) at 14 ± 4 mK km s-1 averaged over the 143″ beam. The 3 days over which emission was detected, 2000 July 21.9-24.2, immediately precede the reported full breakup of the nucleus of this comet. During this same period, we find an upper limit for HCN J = 1-0 of 144 mJy beam-1 km s-1 (203 mK km s-1) in the 9″ × 12″ synthesized beam of combined observations of BIMA and OVRO in cross-correlation ("imaging") mode. Together with reported values of HCN J = 1-0 emission in the 28″ IRAM 30 m beam, our data probe the spatial distribution of the HCN emission from radii of 1300 to 19,000 km. Using literature results of HCN excitation in cometary comae, we find that the relative line fluxes in the 12″ × 9″, 28″, and 143″ beams are consistent with expectations for a nuclear source of HCN and expansion of the volatile gases and evaporating icy grains following a Haser model.

AB - We present results from an observing campaign of the molecular content of the coma of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) carried out jointly with the millimeter arrays of the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association (BIMA) and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO). Using the BIMA array in autocorrelation ("single-dish") mode, we detected weak HCN J = 1-0 emission from comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) at 14 ± 4 mK km s-1 averaged over the 143″ beam. The 3 days over which emission was detected, 2000 July 21.9-24.2, immediately precede the reported full breakup of the nucleus of this comet. During this same period, we find an upper limit for HCN J = 1-0 of 144 mJy beam-1 km s-1 (203 mK km s-1) in the 9″ × 12″ synthesized beam of combined observations of BIMA and OVRO in cross-correlation ("imaging") mode. Together with reported values of HCN J = 1-0 emission in the 28″ IRAM 30 m beam, our data probe the spatial distribution of the HCN emission from radii of 1300 to 19,000 km. Using literature results of HCN excitation in cometary comae, we find that the relative line fluxes in the 12″ × 9″, 28″, and 143″ beams are consistent with expectations for a nuclear source of HCN and expansion of the volatile gases and evaporating icy grains following a Haser model.

KW - Comets: individual (C/1999 S4 (LINEAR))

KW - Radiative transfer

KW - Radio lines: solar system

KW - Techniques: interferometric

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=17544385962&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=17544385962&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/382710

DO - 10.1086/382710

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:17544385962

SN - 0004-6256

VL - 127

SP - 2406

EP - 2412

JO - Astronomical Journal

JF - Astronomical Journal

IS - 4 1780

ER -

Combined BIMA and OVRO observations of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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