[en] We report on high spectral resolution observations of the peculiar comet C/2016 R2 (Pan-STARRS). This comet was found to have a highly unusual composition, with a very high abundance of CO, and is only the third comet in which the N2+ ion is clearly detected. Our observations allowed us to measure the N2+/CO+/CO2+ ratios. Among other things, we also put an upper limit to the 14N/15N isotopic ratio, measured for the first time directly from N2+, and detected the [NI] lines for the first time in a comet.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Opitom, Cyrielle; ESO (European Southern Observatory) - Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago Chile
Hutsemekers, Damien ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Rousselot, Philippe; Institut UTINAM UMR 6213, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, OSU THETA, BP 1615, F-25010 Besançon Cedex, France
Manfroid, Jean ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO)
Jehin, Emmanuel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Origines Cosmologiques et Astrophysiques (OrCa)
Language :
English
Title :
High resolution spectroscopy of the unusual comet C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS)
Publication date :
01 September 2018
Event name :
European Planetary Science Congress 2018 (EPSC 2018)
