Neutral sodium from comet Hale-Bopp: A third type of tail

G. Cremonese; H. Boehnhardt; J. Crovisier; H. Rauer; A. Fitzsimmons; M. Fulle; J. Licandro; D. Pollacco; G. P. Tozzi; R. M. West

Neutral sodium from comet Hale-Bopp: A third type of tail

G. Cremonese^*, H. Boehnhardt, J. Crovisier, H. Rauer, A. Fitzsimmons, M. Fulle, J. Licandro, D. Pollacco, G. P. Tozzi, R. M. West

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Mathematics and Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

87 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report on the discovery and analysis of a striking neutral sodium gas tail associated with comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp. Sodium D line emission has been observed at heliocentric distance r ≤ 1.4 AU in some long-period comets, and the presence of neutral sodium in the tailward direction of a few bright comets has been noted, but the extent, and in particular the source, has never been clear. Here we describe the first observations and analysis of a neutral sodium gas tail in comet Hale-Bopp, which is entirely different from the previously known ion and dust tails. We show that the observed characteristics of this third type of tail are consistent with it being produced by radiation pressure due to resonance fluorescence of sodium atoms and that the lifetime for photoionization is consistent with recent theoretical calculations.

Original language	English
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	490
Issue number	2
Publication status	Published - 09 Nov 1997

Keywords

Atomic processes
Comets: general
Comets: individual (Hale-Bopp 1995 O1)
Scattering

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Cite this

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title = "Neutral sodium from comet Hale-Bopp: A third type of tail",

abstract = "We report on the discovery and analysis of a striking neutral sodium gas tail associated with comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp. Sodium D line emission has been observed at heliocentric distance r ≤ 1.4 AU in some long-period comets, and the presence of neutral sodium in the tailward direction of a few bright comets has been noted, but the extent, and in particular the source, has never been clear. Here we describe the first observations and analysis of a neutral sodium gas tail in comet Hale-Bopp, which is entirely different from the previously known ion and dust tails. We show that the observed characteristics of this third type of tail are consistent with it being produced by radiation pressure due to resonance fluorescence of sodium atoms and that the lifetime for photoionization is consistent with recent theoretical calculations.",

keywords = "Atomic processes, Comets: general, Comets: individual (Hale-Bopp 1995 O1), Scattering",

author = "G. Cremonese and H. Boehnhardt and J. Crovisier and H. Rauer and A. Fitzsimmons and M. Fulle and J. Licandro and D. Pollacco and Tozzi, {G. P.} and West, {R. M.}",

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journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Neutral sodium from comet Hale-Bopp

T2 - A third type of tail

AU - Cremonese, G.

AU - Boehnhardt, H.

AU - Crovisier, J.

AU - Rauer, H.

AU - Fitzsimmons, A.

AU - Fulle, M.

AU - Licandro, J.

AU - Pollacco, D.

AU - Tozzi, G. P.

AU - West, R. M.

PY - 1997/11/9

Y1 - 1997/11/9

N2 - We report on the discovery and analysis of a striking neutral sodium gas tail associated with comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp. Sodium D line emission has been observed at heliocentric distance r ≤ 1.4 AU in some long-period comets, and the presence of neutral sodium in the tailward direction of a few bright comets has been noted, but the extent, and in particular the source, has never been clear. Here we describe the first observations and analysis of a neutral sodium gas tail in comet Hale-Bopp, which is entirely different from the previously known ion and dust tails. We show that the observed characteristics of this third type of tail are consistent with it being produced by radiation pressure due to resonance fluorescence of sodium atoms and that the lifetime for photoionization is consistent with recent theoretical calculations.

AB - We report on the discovery and analysis of a striking neutral sodium gas tail associated with comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp. Sodium D line emission has been observed at heliocentric distance r ≤ 1.4 AU in some long-period comets, and the presence of neutral sodium in the tailward direction of a few bright comets has been noted, but the extent, and in particular the source, has never been clear. Here we describe the first observations and analysis of a neutral sodium gas tail in comet Hale-Bopp, which is entirely different from the previously known ion and dust tails. We show that the observed characteristics of this third type of tail are consistent with it being produced by radiation pressure due to resonance fluorescence of sodium atoms and that the lifetime for photoionization is consistent with recent theoretical calculations.

KW - Atomic processes

KW - Comets: general

KW - Comets: individual (Hale-Bopp 1995 O1)

KW - Scattering

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33645712786&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:33645712786

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 490

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2

ER -

Neutral sodium from comet Hale-Bopp: A third type of tail

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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