[en] Over the past 10 years the isotopic ratios of carbon ([SUP]12[/SUP]C/[SUP]13[/SUP]C) and nitrogen ([SUP]14[/SUP]N/[SUP]15[/SUP]N) have been determined for a dozen comets, bright enough to allow obtaining the required measurements from the ground. The ratios were derived from high-resolution spectra of the CN coma measured in the B[SUP]2[/SUP]â [SUP]+[/SUP]â X[SUP]2[/SUP]â [SUP]+[/SUP] (0, 0) emission band around 387 nm. The observed comets belong to different dynamical classes, including dynamically new as well as long- and short-period comets from the Halley- and Jupiter-family. In some cases the comets could be observed at various heliocentric distances. All values determined for the carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios were consistent within the error margin irrespective of the type of comet or the heliocentric distance at which it was observed. Our investigations resulted in average ratios of [SUP]12[/SUP]C/[SUP]13[/SUP]C=91±21 and nitrogen [SUP]14[/SUP]N/[SUP]15[/SUP]N=141±29. Whilst the value for the carbon isotopic ratio is in good agreement with the solar and terrestrial value of 89, the nitrogen isotopic ratio is very different from the telluric value of 272.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Schulz, R.; Research and Scientific Support Department, ESA, Postbus 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands
Jehin, Emmanuel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astrophysique et traitement de l'image
Manfroid, Jean ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO)
Hutsemekers, Damien ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astroph. extragalactique et observations spatiales (AEOS)
Arpigny, Claude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO)
Cochran, A.; Department of Astronomy and McDonald Observatory, University of Texas, Austin, TX 1400, USA
Zucconi, J*-M; Observatoire de Besançon, F25010 Besançon Cedex, France
Stuwe
Language :
English
Title :
Isotopic abundance in the CN coma of comets: Ten years of measurements
Publication date :
01 November 2008
Journal title :
Planetary and Space Science
ISSN :
0032-0633
Publisher :
Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science, Oxford, United Kingdom
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