A Millimeter Wavelength Interferometric Study of Organic Molecules in Comet Hale -Bopp (C/1995 O1)

"Observations of comet Hale-Bopp with the BIMA Array were conducted in interferometric and autocorrelation modes in the late winter and early spring of 1997. The following points summarize the highlights of this research project. (1) The capability of the BIMA Array to detect new cometary molecules has been established, with the discovery of HCO + in comet Hale-Bopp. (2) Millimeter wavelength interferometric maps of comet spectral line emission have been made for the first time, proving the concept that comets can be successfully observed with the BIMA Array. (3) A new technique, the ""difference map"", has been developed for analyzing high resolution images. This technique provides direct evidence of deviations from spherical outflow. (4) The full utility of dedicated data transfer links and high speed computers has been exploited, revealing the plausibility of yielding arcsecond level ephemeris corrections on a daily basis. (5) A three dimensional, non-spherically symmetric Monte Carlo code has been written to calculate production rates, the results of which, when combined with analysis of the high resolution observations and difference maps, have yielded more accurate production rates than those of the standard model."

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Astronomy

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Veal, Jeffrey Matthew

Contributors dc:contributor

• Snyder, Lewis E.

• Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9971217

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/85199