Silicate Emission Feature in the Spectrum of Comet Mueller 1993a

✍ Scribed by Martha S. Hanner; John A. Hackwell; Ray W. Russell; David K. Lynch

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 349 KB
• Volume: 112
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0019-1035
• DOI: 10.1006/icar.1994.1200

✦ Synopsis

An 8- to 13- (\mu \mathrm{m}) spectrum of comet Muelier 1993a, a dynamically new comet, was acquired when the comet was at (R=2 \mathrm{AU}). Strong, structured silicate emission is present, closely resembling that seen in Comet (\mathrm{P} /) Halley at smaller (R). For the first time in a new comet, the (11.2-\mu \mathrm{m}) peak of crystalline olivine was detected, demonstrating that crystalline olivine particles were widespread in the solar nebula. Crystalline olivine particles could have formed in the inner protosolar nebula at temperatures greater than 1200 (\mathbf{K}); extensive radial mixing would have been required to transport these grains to the region of comet formation. Either there was more radial mixing in the solar nebula than some current theories predict or the olivine grains have a presolar origin. 1994 Academic Press, inc.