Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T20:32:58.041Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Comet Taxonomy and Evolution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2016

David G. Schleicher
David G. Schleicher*
Affiliation:
Lowell Observatory 1400 W. Mars Hill Rd. Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA E-mail dschleicher@lowell.edu

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Measurements of physical and dynamical properties of comets have yielded considerable evidence for variations in the origin and evolution of these primordial objects. Given these findings, one might reasonably expect to observe differences in the chemical composition as well. This paper reviews our current state of knowledge of the similarities and differences in the composition of comets, and summarizes the recent findings by A'Hearn et al. (1994) for two taxonomic classes of comets and evidence of compositional variation due to origin and/or evolution.

Type
Origin and Evolution
Information
Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 160: Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 1993 , 1994 , pp. 415 - 428
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer 1994 

References

A'Hearn, M. F., and Millis, R. L.: 1980, “Abundance Correlations Among Comets.” Astron. J. 85, 1528–1537.Google Scholar
A'Hearn, M. F., Millis, R. L., Schleicher, D. G., Osip, D. J., and Birch, P. V.: 1994, “Narrowband Photometry of Comets: A Database of 85 Comets.” In preparation for submittal to Icarus. Google Scholar
Arpigny, C.: 1976, “Interpretation of Comet Spectra.” In The Study of Comets (Donn, B. et al., Eds.) NASA SP–393, 797–838.Google Scholar
Beaver, J. E., Wagner, R. M., Schleicher, D. G., and Lutz, B. L.: 1990, “Anomalous Molecular Abundances and the Depletion of NH2 in Comet P/Giacobini–Zinner.” Astrophys. J. 360, 696–701.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bobrovnikoff, N. T.: 1927, “On the Spectra of Comets.” Astrophys. J. 66, 439–464.Google Scholar
Budzien, S.A., and Feldman, P. D.: 1992, “Upper Limits to the S2 Abundance in Several Comets Observed with the International Ultraviolet Explorer.” Icarus 99, 143–152.Google Scholar
Cochran, A. L.: 1987, “Another Look at Abundance Correlations Among Comets.” Astron. J. 93, 231–238.Google Scholar
Cochran, A. L.: 1990, “Are All Comets Created Equal?” In Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors III (Lagerkvist, C. et al., Eds.), 281–284, Uppsala University.Google Scholar
Cochran, A. L., and Barker, E. S.: 1987, “Comet Giacobini–Zinner: A Normal Comet?” Astron. J. 93, 239–243.Google Scholar
Cochran, A. L., Barker, E. S., Ramseyer, T. F., and Storrs, A. D.: 1992, “The McDonald Observatory Faint Comet Survey: Gas Production in 17 Comets.” Icarus 98, 151–162.Google Scholar
Cochran, A. L., Green, J. R., Barker, E. S.: 1989, “Are Low–Activity Comets Intrinsically Different from More Active Comets?” Icarus 79, 125–144. Erratum: Icarus 80, 446.Google Scholar
Colom, P., Crovisier, J., Bockellee–Morvan, D., Despois, D., and Paubert, G.: 1992, “Formaldehyde in Comets: I. Microwave Observations of P/Brorsen–Metcalf (1989 X), Austin (1990 V), and Levy (1990 XX)” Astron. Astrophys. 264, 270–281.Google Scholar
Crovisier, J.: 1992, “The Infrared Spectrum of Comets.” In Infrared Astronomy with ISO, (Encrenaz, T. and Kessler, M., Eds.), 221–248, Nova Science Publishers.Google Scholar
Donn, B.: 1976, “The Nucleus: Panel Discussion.” In The Study of Comets (Donn, B. et al., Eds.) NASA SP–393, 611–619.Google Scholar
Duncan, M., Quinn, T., and Tremaine, S.: 1988, “The Origin of Short–Period Comets.” Astrophys. J. Lett. 328, L69–L73.Google Scholar
Feldman, P. D.: 1983, “Ultraviolet Spectroscopy and the Composition of Cometary Ice.” Science 219, 347–354.Google Scholar
Feldman, P. D.: 1986, “Carbon Monoxide in Cometary Ice.” In Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors II (Lagerkvist, C. et al., Eds.), 263–267, Uppsala University.Google Scholar
Fink, U.: 1992, “Comet Yanaka (1988r): A New Class of Carbon–Poor Comet,” Science 257, 1926–1929.Google Scholar
Hoban, S., Mumma, M., Reuter, D. C., DiSanti, M., Joyce, R. R., and Storrs, A.: 1991, “A Tentative Identification of Methanol as the Progenitor of the 3.52-μm Emission Feature in Several Comets.” Icarus 93, 122–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krankowsky, D.: 1991, “The Composition of Comets.” In Comets in the Post–Halley Era (Newburn, R. et al., Eds.) vol. 2, 855–877, Kluwer Academic Press.Google Scholar
Kresák, L.: 1991, “Evidence for Physical Aging of Periodic Comets.” In Comets in the Post–Halley Era (Newburn, R. et al., Eds.) vol. 1, 607–628, Kluwer Academic Press.Google Scholar
Lutz, B. L., Womack, M., and Wagner, R. M.: 1993, “Ion Abundances and Implications for Photochemistry in Comets Halley (1986 III) and Bradfield (1987 XXIX).” Astrophys. J. 407, 402–411.Google Scholar
Meech, K. J.: 1991, “Physical Aging in Comets.” In Comets in the Post–Halley Era (Newburn, R. et al., Eds.) vol. 1, 629–669, Kluwer Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mumma, M. J., Hoban, S., Reuter, D. C., and DiSanti, M.: 1993, “Methanol in Recent Comets: Evidence for Two Distinct Cometary Populations.” In Abstracts for IAU Symposium 160: Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 1993, LPI Contribution No. 810, 227.Google Scholar
Mumma, M. J., Weissman, P. R, Stern, S. A.: 1993, “Comets and the Origin of the Solar System: Reading the Rosetta Stone.” In Protostars and Planets III (Levy, E. and Lunine, J., Eds.), 1172–1252, University of Arizona Press.Google Scholar
Newburn, R. L., and Spinrad, H.: 1984, “Spectrophotometry of 17 Comets. I. The Emission Features.” Astron. J. 89, 289–309.Google Scholar
Newburn, R. L., and Spinrad, H.: 1989, “Spectrophotometry of 25 Comets: Post-Halley Updates for 17 Comets Plus New Observations for Eight Additional Comets.” Astron. J. 97, 552–569.Google Scholar
Rickman, H., Kamél, L., Froeschlé, C., and Festou, M. C.: 1991, “Nongravitional Effects and the Aging of Periodic Comets.” Astron. J. 102, 1446–1463.Google Scholar
Schleicher, D. G., Bus, S. J., and Osip, D. J.: 1993, “The Anomalous Molecular Abundances of Comet P/Wolf-Harrington.” Icarus 104, 157–166.Google Scholar
Schleicher, D. G., Millis, R. L., and Birch, P. V.: 1987, “Photometric Observations of Comet P/Giacobini–Zinner.” Astron. Astrophys. 187, 531–538.Google Scholar
Stern, S.A.: 1990, “ISM-Induced Erosion and Gas–Dynamical Drag in the Oort Cloud.” Icarus 84, 447–466.Google Scholar
Storrs, A. D., Cochran, A. L., and Barker, E. S.: 1992, “Spectrophotometry of the Continuum in 18 Comets.” Icarus 98, 163–178.Google Scholar
Tholen, D. J.: 1984, “Asteroid Taxonomy from Cluster Analysis of Photometry.” Ph. D. Dissertation, University of Arizona.Google Scholar
Weaver, H. A., Feldman, P. D., Festou, M. C., A'Hearn, M. F., and Keller, H. U.: 1981, “IUE Observations of Faint Comets.” Icarus 47, 449–463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whipple, F. L.: 1977, “The Constitution of Cometary Nuclei.” In Comets, Asteroids, Meteorites (Delsemme, A., ed.), 25–34, Univ. of Toledo Press.Google Scholar
Yamamoto, T.: 1985, “Formation History and Environment of Cometary Nuclei.” In Ices in the Solar System (Klinger, J. et al., Eds.), 205–219, D. Reidel Publishing Co.Google Scholar