Water Production of Comets 2P/Encke and 81P/Wild 2 Derived from SWAN Observations during the 1997 Apparition
Schmidt, W.; Bertaux, J. -L.; Lallement, R.; Quémerais, E.; Summanen, T.; Mäkinen, J. T. T.; Kyrölä, E.; Silén, J.
Finland, France
Abstract
The water production rates of comets 2P/Encke and 81P/Wild 2 during their 1997 apparitions have been estimated from Lyman-α observations of the SWAN instrument and compared to previously published values. 2P/Encke was detected 28 times from few days preperihelion to 1.4 AU postperihelion with a perihelion water production rate QH 2O of 2×10 28 s -1. This is the first observation of perihelion QH 2O of comet Encke. 81P/Wild 2 was detected 56 times from 1.64 AU preperihelion to 1.74 AU postperihelion with a perihelion QH 2O of 1.3×10 28 s -1.