Outgassing Behavior and Composition of Comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) During Its Disruption
- 18 May 2001
- journal article
- other
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 292 (5520), 1339-1343
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1058512
Abstract
The gas activity of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) was monitored at radio wavelengths during its disruption. A runaway fragmentation of the nucleus may have begun around 18 July 2000 and proceeded until 23 July. The mass in small icy debris (≤30-centimeter radius) was comparable to the mass in the large fragments seen in optical images. The mass budget after breakup suggests a small nucleus (∼100- to 300-meter radius) that had been losing debris for weeks. The HNC, H 2 CO, H 2 S, and CS abundances relative to H 2 O measured during breakup are consistent with those obtained in other comets. However, a deficiency in CH 3 OH and CO is observed.Keywords
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