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Cometary ion tails are crucial for understanding the interaction between comets and the solar wind, as they reveal the dynamics and composition of the comet's coma. This study achieved the first detection of several ions, including H3O+, HCO+, and CO+, in comet Hale-Bopp, providing valuable insights into the ion-neutral chemistry and the complex structures formed in the ion tail during its perihelion passage.
Abstract
The extraordinary brightness of comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1) offered the rare opportunity to investigate its ion tail by observations over a wide range of wavelengths. For the first time, ion emission lines could be detected in the radio domain, originating from H3O+, HCO+ and CO+ ions. Observations in the extreme ultraviolet range showed O+ emissions. Optical imaging observations show a spectacular detail of structures in the ion tail. The combined measurements of the ion spatial distribution and dynamic provide a wealth of information which needs to be understood in terms of models of the comet-solar wind interaction and ion-neutral molecule reactions in the coma.
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Rauer, H. Ion composition and solar wind interaction: Observations of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). Earth, Moon, and Planets 79, 161–178 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006285300913
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006285300913
