The states of carbon and nitrogen atoms after photodissociation of CN, CH, CH(+), C2, C3, and CO in comets

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Icarus (International Journal of the Solar System); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(91)90069-6· OSTI ID:5732144

Singh, P D; De almeida, A A; Huebner, W F ^[1]

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1. Sao Paulo Universidade (Brazil) Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (USA)

The photodissociation of carbon compounds by solar UV radiation at a heliocentric distance of 1 AU is examined, comparing published observational data with the predictions of theoretical models and results from laboratory experiments. It is shown that species other than CO, including CN, CH, CH(+), C2, and C3, can contribute to the observed brightness of the VUV lines of C I (156.1, 165.7, and 193.1 nm) and C II (133.5 nm) in comet comae. CN photodissociation is also found to produce metastable 2D0 and 2P0 N I atoms, possibly leading (at heliocentric distances less than 0.25 AU) to 143.9-nm emission via resonance fluorescence. 37 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5732144
• Journal Information: Icarus (International Journal of the Solar System); (USA), Vol. 90; ISSN 0019-1035
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMETS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
EMISSION SPECTRA
CARBON COMPOUNDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COSMOCHEMISTRY
CYANOGEN
DISSOCIATION
FLUORESCENCE
IRRADIATION
LINE WIDTHS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORBITS
SOLAR RADIATION
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
CHEMISTRY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
LUMINESCENCE
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
STELLAR RADIATION
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena