Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T16:09:50.162Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Chemical Theories on the Origin of Comets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

Tetsuo Yamamoto
Tetsuo Yamamoto*
Affiliation:
Institute of Space and Astronautical ScienceYoshinodai 3-1-1, Sagamihara Kanagawa 229, Japan

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.

Firstly, observational data available at present to infer physical conditions of the formation environment of cometary matter are briefly surveyed. These include the chemical and isotopic composition of cometary matter, and the nuclear spin temperature derived from the ortho/para abundance ratio of H2O molecules. Secondly, theories on the origin of comets—theories based upon the chemical composition of the volatile component of cometary matter—are reviewed. The theories are classified into two types, distinguished by whether cometary volatiles originate as solar nebula condensates or as the sublimation residue of interstellar ices. Observational items helpful to test the theories are pointed out. Thirdly, discussion is given on the physical properties of ices relevant to the chemical theory of the origin of comets.

Type
Section III: Comets, Origins, and Evolution
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 116 , Issue 1: Comets in the Post-Halley Era , 1989 , pp. 361 - 376
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer 1991

References

Allen, M., Delitsky, M., Huntress, W., Yung, Y., Ip, W.-H., Schwenn, R., Rosenbauer, H., Shelley, E., Balsiger, H., and Geiss, J. (1987). ‘Evidence for methane and ammonia in the coma of comet P/Halley,’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 502–512.Google ScholarPubMed
Balsiger, H., Altweg, K., Bühler, F. Geiss, J., Ghielmetti, A.G., Goldstein, B.E., Goldstein, R., Huntress, W.T., Ip, W.-H., Lazarus, A.J., Meier, A., Neugebauer, M., Rettenmund, U., Rosenbauer, H., Schwenn, R., Sharp, R.D., Shelley, E.G., Ungstrup, E., and Young, D.T. (1986). ‘Ion composition and dynamics at comet Halley,’ Nature 321, 330–334.Google Scholar
Bar-Nun, A., Herman, G., Laufer, D., and Rappaport, M.L. (1985). ‘Trapping and release of gases by water and implications for icy bodies,’ Icarus 63, 317–332.Google Scholar
Bar-Nun, A., Dror, J., Kochavi, E., and Laufer, D. (1987). ‘Amorphous ice and its ability to trap gases,’ Phys. Rev. B35, 2427–2435.Google Scholar
Bertie, J.E., and Devlin, J.P. (1983). ‘Infrared spectroscopic proof of the formation of the structure I hydrate of oxirane from annealed low-temperature condensate,’ J. Chem. Phys. 78, 6340–6341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cameron, A.G.W. (1978). ‘Physics of the primitive solar accretion disk,’ Moon and Planets 18, 5–40.Google Scholar
Combes, M., Moroz, V.l., Crovisier, J., Encrenaz, T., Bibring, J.-P., Grigoriev, A.V., Sanko, N.F., Coron, N., Crifo, J.F., Gispert, R., Bockelée-Morvan, D., Nikolsky, Yu.V., Krasnopolsky, V.A., Owen, T., Emerich, C., Lamarre, J.M., and Rocard, F. (1988). ‘The 2.5 - 12μm spectrum of comet Halley from the IKS-VEGA experiment,’ Icarus 76, 404–436.Google Scholar
Consani, K., and Pimentel, G.C. (1987). ‘Infrared spectra of the clathrate hydrates of acetylene and of acetylene/acetone,’ J. Phys. Chem. 91, 289–293.Google Scholar
d’Hendecourt, L.B., Allamandola, L.J., and Greenberg, J.M. (1985). ‘Time dependent chemistry in dense molecular clouds I. Grain surface reactions, gas/grain interactions and infrared spectroscopy,’ Astron. Astrophys. 152, 130–150.Google Scholar
Donn, B. (1990). ‘The accumulation and structure of comets,’ in this volume.Google Scholar
Draine, B.T., and Salpeter, E.E. (1977). ‘Time-dependent nucleation theory,’ J. Chem. Phys. 67, 2230–2235.Google Scholar
Eberhardt, P., Krankowski, D., Schulte, W., Dolder, U., Lammerzahl, P., Berthelier, J.J., Woweries, J., Stubbemann, U., Hodges, R.R., Hoffman, J.H., and Illiano, J.M. (1987). ‘The CO and N2 abundance in comet P/Halley,’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 481–484.Google Scholar
Engel, S., Lunine, J.I., and Lewis, J.S. (1990). ‘Solar nebula origin for volatiles in Halley’s comet,’ preprint, Icarus, in press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fegley, B. Jr., and Prinn, R.G. (1989). ‘Solar nebula chemistry: Implications for volatiles in the solar nebula,’ The Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems, Weaver, H.A., and Danley, L. (eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 171–211.Google Scholar
Festou, M.C., Feldman, P.D., A’Hearn, M.F., Arpigny, C., Cosmovici, C.B., Danks, A.C., McFadden, L.A., Gilmozzi, R., Patriarchi, P., Tozzi, G.P., Wallis, M.K., and Weaver, H.A. (1986). ‘IUE observations of comet Halley during the Vega and Giotto encounters,’ Nature 321, 361–363.Google Scholar
Greenberg, J.M. (1982). ‘What are comets made of? A model based on interstellar dust,’ Comets, Wilkening, L.L. (ed.), University of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 131–163.Google Scholar
Grim, R.J.A., and Greenberg, J.M. (1987). ‘Photoprocessing of H2S in interstellar grain mandes as an explanation for S2 in comets,’ Astron. Astrophys. 181, 155–168.Google Scholar
Hayashi, C. (1981). ‘Structure of the solar nebula, growth and decay of magnetic fields and effect of magnetic and turbulent viscosities on the nebula,’ Suppl.. Prog. Theor. Phys. No. 70, 35–53.Google Scholar
Huebner, W.F., Boyce, D.C., and Sharp, C.M. (1987). ‘Polyoxymethylene in Comet Halley,’ Astrophys. J. 320, L149–L152.Google Scholar
Irvine, W.M. (1990). ‘Cold, dark interstellar clouds: Can gas-phase reactions explain the observations?’, Chemistry and Spectroscopy of Interstellar Molecules, Kaifu, N. (ed.), University of Tokyo Press, in press.Google Scholar
Jessburger, E. (1990). ‘Chemical properties of cometary dust,’ in this volume.Google Scholar
Kawara, K., Gregory, B., Yamamoto, T., and Shibai, H. (1988). ‘Infrared spectroscopic observation of methane in comet P/Halley,’ Astron. Astrophys. 207, 174–181.Google Scholar
Krankowski, D., Lämmerzahl, P., Herrwerth, I., Woweries, J., Eberhardt, P., Dolder, U., Herrmann, U., Schulte, W., Berthelier, J.J., Illiano, J.M., Hodges, R.R., and Hoffman, J.H. (1986). ’In situ gas and ion measurements at comet Halley,’ Nature 321, 326–329.Google Scholar
Klinger, J. (1990). ‘Physical properties of frozen volatiles—Their relevance to the study of comet nuclei,’ in this volume.Google Scholar
Kouchi, A. (1987). ‘Vapour pressure of amorphous H2O ice and its astrophysical implications,’ Nature 330, 550–552.Google Scholar
Kouchi, A. (1989). ‘Evaporation of H2O ice and its astrophysical implications,’ to be published in J. Crystal Growth (Proc. Int. Conf. Crystal Growth, held in Sendai, August, 1988).Google Scholar
Kozasa, T., and Hasegawa, H. (1987). ‘Grain formation through nucleation process in Astrophysical environments. II,’ Prog. Theor. Phys. 77, 1402–1410.Google Scholar
Larson, H.P., Weaver, H.A., Mumma, M.J., and Drapatz, S. (1988). ‘Airborne infrared spectroscopy of Comet Wilson (1986l) and comparison with Comet Halley,’Astrophys. J., 338, 1106–1114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laufer, D.E., Kochavi, E., and Bar-Nun, A. (1987). ‘Structure and dynamics of amorphous water ice,’ Phys. Rev. B36, 9219–9227.Google Scholar
Lewis, J.S. (1974). ‘The temperature gradient in the solar nebula,’ Science 186, 440–443.Google Scholar
Lewis, J.S., and Prinn, R.G. (1980). ‘Kinetic inhibition of CO and N2 reduction in the solar nebula,’ Astrophys. J. 238, 357–364.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lunine, J.I. (1989). ‘Primitive bodies: Molecular abundances in Comet Halley as probes of cometary formation environment,’ The Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems, Weaver, H.A., Danley, L., and Paresce, F. (eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 213–242.Google Scholar
Moore, M.H., Donn, B., and Hudson, R.L. (1988). ‘Vaporization of ices containing S2 — Implications for comets,’ Icarus 74, 399–412.Google Scholar
Moore, M.H., Donn, B., Khanna, R., and A’Hearn, M.F. (1983). ‘Studies of proton-irradiated cometary-type ice mixtures,’ Icarus 54, 388–405.Google Scholar
Moroz, V.I., Combes, M., Bibring, J.P., Coron, N., Crovisier, J., Encrenaz, T., Crifo, J.F., Sanko, N., Grigoriev, A.V., Bockelée-Morvan, D., Gispert, R., Nikolsky, Y.V., Emerich, C., Lamarre, J.M., Rocard, F., Krasnopolsky, V.A., and Owen, T. (1987). ‘Detection of parent molecules in comet Halley, from the IKS-Vega experiment,’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 513–518.Google Scholar
Mumma, M.J., Blass, W.E., Weaver, H.A., and Larson, H.P. (1990). ‘Measurements of the ortho-para ratio and nuclear spin temperature of water vapor in comet P/Halley,’ Icarus, in press.Google Scholar
Mumma, M.J., Weaver, H.A., and Larson, H.P. (1986). ‘The ortho/para ratio of water vapor in comet Halley,’ 20th ESLAB Symposium on the Exploration of Halley’s Comet, ESA SP-250, vol. 1, pp. 341–346.Google Scholar
Mumma, M.J., Weaver, H.A., and Larson, H.P. (1987). ‘The ortho-para ratio of water vapor in comet P/Halley,’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 419–424.Google Scholar
Prialnik, D., Bar-Nun, A., and Podolak, M. (1987). ‘Radiogenic heating of comets by 26A1 and implications for their time of formation,’ Astrophys. J. 319, 993–1002.Google Scholar
Prinn, R.G., and Fegley, B. Jr., (1989). ‘Solar nebula chemistry: Origin of planetary, satellite, and cometary volatiles,’ Origin and Evolution of Planetary and Satellite Atmospheres, Arrea, S., Pollack, J., and Matthews, M. (eds.), University of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 78–136.Google Scholar
Richardson, H.H., Wooldridge, P. J., and Devlin, J.P. (1985). ‘FT-IR spectra of vacuum deposited clathrate hydrates of oxirane H2S, THF, and ethane,’ J. Chem. Phys. 83, 4387–4394.Google Scholar
Rickman, H. (1990). ‘The thermal history and structure of cometary nuclei,’ in this volume.Google Scholar
Sanford, S.A., and Allamandola, L.J. (1988). ‘The condensation and vaporization behavior of H2O:CO ices and implications for interstellar grains and cometary activity,’ Icarus 76, 201–224.Google Scholar
Sanford, S.A., Allamandola, L.J., Tielens, A.G.G.M., and Valero, G.J. (1988). ’Laboratory studies of the infrared spectral properties of CO in astrophysical ices,’Astrophys. J. 329, 498–510.Google Scholar
Schloerb, F.P., Kinzel, W.M., Swade, D.A., and Irvine, W.M. (1987). ‘Observations of HCN in comet P/Halley,’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 475–480.Google Scholar
Schmitt, B., and Klinger, J. (1987). ‘Different trapping mechanisms of gases by water ice and their relevance for cometary nuclei,’ Proc. Symposium on the Diversity and Similarity of Comets, ESA SP-278, pp. 613–619.Google Scholar
Schmitt, B., Greenberg, J.M., and Grim, R.J.A. (1989). ‘The temperature dependence of the CO infrared band strength in CO:H2O ices,’ Astrophys. J. 340, L33–L36.Google Scholar
Strazzulla, G., and Johnson, R.E. (1990). ‘Irradiation effects on comets and cometary debris,’ in this volume.Google Scholar
Urey, H. (1952). The Planets, Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Vanýsek, V. (1990). ‘Isotopic ratios in comets,’ in this volume.Google Scholar
Vanýsek, V., and Rahe, J. (1978). ‘12C/13C ratio in comets,’ Moon and Planets 18, 441–445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wallis, M.K. (1980). ‘Radiogenic melting of primordial comet interior,’ Nature 284, 431–433.Google Scholar
Weaver, H.A., Mumma, M.J., and Larson, H.P. (1990). ‘Infrared spectroscopy of cometary parent molecules,’ in this volume.Google Scholar
Whipple, F.L., and Stefanik, R.P. (1966). ‘On the physics and splitting of cometary nuclei,’ Mem. Soc. Roy. Sci. Liège, Sér. 5, 12, 33–52.Google Scholar
Woods, T.N., Feldman, P.D., Dymond, K.F., and Sahnow, D.J. (1986). ‘Rocket ultraviolet spectroscopy of comet Halley and abundance of carbon monoxide and carbon,’ Nature 324, 436–438.Google Scholar
Wyckoff, S., Lindholm, E., Wehinger, P.A., Peterson, B.A., Zucconi, J.-M., and Festou, M.C. (1989). ‘The 12C/13C abundance ratio in comet Halley,’ Astrophys. J. 339, 488–500.Google Scholar
Yabushita, S., and Wada, K. (1988). ‘Radioactive heating and layered structure of cometary nuclei,’ Earth, Moon, and Planets 40, 303–313.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yamamoto, T. (1985a). ‘Formation environment of cometary nuclei in the primordial solar nebula,’ Astron. Astrophys. 142, 31–36.Google Scholar
Yamamoto, T. (1985b). ‘Formation history and environment of cometary nuclei,’ Ices in the Solar System Klinger, J., Benest, D., Dollfus, A., and Smoluchowski, R. (eds.), D. Reidel Publishing Co., Dordrecht, pp. 205–219.Google Scholar
Yamamoto, T., and Hasegawa, H (1977). ‘Grain formation through nucleation process in Astrophysical environment,’ Prog. Theor. Phys. 58, 816–828.Google Scholar
Yamamoto, T., and Kozasa, T. (1988). ‘The cometary nucleus as an aggregate of planetesimals,’ Icarus 75, 540–551.Google Scholar
Yamamoto, T., Nakagawa, N., and Fukui, Y. (1983). ‘The chemical composition and thermal history of the ice of a cometary nucleus,’ Astron. Astrophys. 122, 171–176.Google Scholar