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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 February 2018
We have recently reported detection of hydrogen cyanide and the first quantitative observations of the velocities of neutral gas jets in the inner part of the coma while the comet was at small heliocentric distances (Huebner, et al., 1974). Now we report the detection of two line transitions from unidentified cometary molecules, provide further evidence of the variability of neutral gas jets, and give a summary of our search program for microwave transitions in molecules of cometary origin.
The observations presented here were made with a 3-mm line receiver mounted on the 11-m NRAO radio dish at Kitt Peak. Observations were carried out before perihelion (15 to 20 December 1973) and after perihelion (3 to 7 January 1974). During these periods the comet was between 0.3 and 0.5 AU heliocentric distance.