Astrochemistry

Complex Organic Molecules in Comets C/2012 F6 and C/2013 R1

By Keith Cowing
NASA
May 27, 2014
Filed under , ,
Complex Organic Molecules in Comets C/2012 F6 and C/2013 R1

A spectral survey in the 1 mm wavelength range was undertaken in the long-period comets C/2012 F6 (Lemmon) and C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) using the 30 m telescope of the Institut de radioastronomie millimetrique (IRAM) in April and November-December 2013.

We report the detection of ethylene glycol (CH2 OH)2 (aGg’ conformer) and formamide (NH2 CHO) in the two comets. The abundances relative to water of ethylene glycol and formamide are 0.2-0.3% and 0.02% in the two comets, similar to the values measured in comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). We also report the detection of HCOOH and CH3 CHO in comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy), and a search for other complex species (methyl formate, glycolaldehyde).(Lemmon) and C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy): detection of ethylene glycol and formamide N. Biver, D. Bockelée-Morvan, V. Debout, J. Crovisier, J. Boissier, D.C. Lis, N. Dello Russo, R. Moreno, P. Colom, G. Paubert, R. Vervack, H.A. Weaver (Submitted on 26 May 2014)

Comments: Accepted for publication as a Letter in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)

Cite as: arXiv:1405.6605 [astro-ph.EP] (or arXiv:1405.6605v1 [astro-ph.EP] for this version)

Submission history From: Jacques Crovisier [v1] Mon, 26 May 2014 15:13:14 GMT (54kb)

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