[en] We observed the new long-period comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos), inbound at 7 au from the Sun, using the Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) integral field unit on JWST. The spectrum shows absorption features due to water ice in the coma and evidence for CO2 driven activity, with a production rate of Q(CO2) = 2.546 +- 0.019 10^25 molecules/s, and no emission features of water or CO. The latter is surprising, given that CO is more volatile than CO2, and suggests that this comet may have lost its near-surface CO during its early evolution, before implantation in the Oort cloud.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Snodgrass, Colin; Royal Observatory Edinburgh
Holt, Carrie E.; Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope
Kelley, Michael S. P.; University of Maryland, Department of Astronomy
Opitom, Cyrielle; Royal Observatory Edinburgh
Guilbert-Lepoutre, Aurélie; LGL-TPE, UMR 5276 CNRS, Université Lyon 1, ENS, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
Knight, Matthew M.; Physics Department, United States Naval Academy, 572C Holloway Road, Annapolis, MD 21402, USA,
Kokotanekova, Rosita; Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory, International Space Science Institute, Switzerland
Jehin, Emmanuel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR)
Mazzotta Epifani, Elena; INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Via Frascati 33, 00040, Monte Porzio Catone (RM), Italy
Migliorini, Alessandra; Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, IAPS-INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Italy,
Tubiana, Cecilia; Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, IAPS-INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Italy,
Micheli, Marco; ESA NEO Coordination Centre, Largo Galileo Galilei, 1, I-00044 Frascati (RM), Italy,
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