Ultraviolet spectroscopy of cometary comae: An update

Abstract

Since its launch in 1978 the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite observatory has been used to record ultraviolet spectra of nearly two dozen comets. These observations have been applied principally to studies of the composition, chemistry and evolution of the gaseous coma and more recently, with the substantially increased data base, to comparative analyses. The observations of Comets Bowell (1982 I) and Cernis (1983l) at a heliocentric distance of ~ 3.4 AU show these two comets to be virtually identical and pose problems for water ice vaporization models. The most significant recent result from IUE was the discovery of S₂ in the Earth-approaching comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983d) and the use of the S₂ emission as a monitor of short-term variations in cometary activity. In early 1984, periodic comet Encke was observed for the second time by IUE, this time post-perihelion.