Tentative detection of cyclopropenylidene in comets

Yo Ling Chuang; Yi Jehng Kuan; Steven B. Charnley

doi:10.1093/mnras/stae2105

Tentative detection of cyclopropenylidene in comets

Yo Ling Chuang^*, Yi Jehng Kuan^*, Steven B. Charnley

^*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

Abstract

We report the tentative detection of the ring molecule cyclopropenylidene (c-C₃H₂) in cometary comae. We observed three short-period comets: 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3, 17P/Holmes, 103P Hartley 2, and two Oort Cloud comets: C/2007 N3 (Lulin) and C/2012 F6 (Lemmon) with the Arizona Radio Observatory Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). We tentatively detected c-C₃H₂ in three of the comets, with molecule production rates in the range of (0.2–3.8) × 10²⁵ molecules s⁻¹, and c-C₃H₂/H₂O mixing ratios of 0.01–0.19 per cent. Evidence from both the single-dish and interferometric data points to the presence of c-C₃H₂ being of a discrete transient nature and exhibiting an extended spatial distribution, indicating production from the decomposition of organic dust particles in the coma.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3439-3447
Number of pages	9
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	534
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stae2105
Publication status	Published - 2024 Nov 1

Keywords

ISM: molecules
astrochemistry
radio lines: general

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1093/mnras/stae2105

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title = "Tentative detection of cyclopropenylidene in comets",

abstract = "We report the tentative detection of the ring molecule cyclopropenylidene (c-C3H2) in cometary comae. We observed three short-period comets: 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3, 17P/Holmes, 103P Hartley 2, and two Oort Cloud comets: C/2007 N3 (Lulin) and C/2012 F6 (Lemmon) with the Arizona Radio Observatory Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). We tentatively detected c-C3H2 in three of the comets, with molecule production rates in the range of (0.2–3.8) × 1025 molecules s−1, and c-C3H2/H2O mixing ratios of 0.01–0.19 per cent. Evidence from both the single-dish and interferometric data points to the presence of c-C3H2 being of a discrete transient nature and exhibiting an extended spatial distribution, indicating production from the decomposition of organic dust particles in the coma.",

keywords = "ISM: molecules, astrochemistry, radio lines: general",

author = "Chuang, {Yo Ling} and Kuan, {Yi Jehng} and Charnley, {Steven B.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society.",

year = "2024",

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doi = "10.1093/mnras/stae2105",

language = "English",

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T1 - Tentative detection of cyclopropenylidene in comets

AU - Chuang, Yo Ling

AU - Kuan, Yi Jehng

AU - Charnley, Steven B.

PY - 2024/11/1

Y1 - 2024/11/1

N2 - We report the tentative detection of the ring molecule cyclopropenylidene (c-C3H2) in cometary comae. We observed three short-period comets: 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3, 17P/Holmes, 103P Hartley 2, and two Oort Cloud comets: C/2007 N3 (Lulin) and C/2012 F6 (Lemmon) with the Arizona Radio Observatory Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). We tentatively detected c-C3H2 in three of the comets, with molecule production rates in the range of (0.2–3.8) × 1025 molecules s−1, and c-C3H2/H2O mixing ratios of 0.01–0.19 per cent. Evidence from both the single-dish and interferometric data points to the presence of c-C3H2 being of a discrete transient nature and exhibiting an extended spatial distribution, indicating production from the decomposition of organic dust particles in the coma.

AB - We report the tentative detection of the ring molecule cyclopropenylidene (c-C3H2) in cometary comae. We observed three short-period comets: 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3, 17P/Holmes, 103P Hartley 2, and two Oort Cloud comets: C/2007 N3 (Lulin) and C/2012 F6 (Lemmon) with the Arizona Radio Observatory Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). We tentatively detected c-C3H2 in three of the comets, with molecule production rates in the range of (0.2–3.8) × 1025 molecules s−1, and c-C3H2/H2O mixing ratios of 0.01–0.19 per cent. Evidence from both the single-dish and interferometric data points to the presence of c-C3H2 being of a discrete transient nature and exhibiting an extended spatial distribution, indicating production from the decomposition of organic dust particles in the coma.

KW - ISM: molecules

KW - astrochemistry

KW - radio lines: general

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Tentative detection of cyclopropenylidene in comets

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