Plasma dynamics in the tail of Comet Kohoutek 1973 XII

Photographs of Comet Kohoutek 1973 XII from the period 1974, Jan. 19, 0 UT to Jan. 21, 3 UT, collected from many different observatories and assembled in a unified format, are studied. During this time a large-scale tail disturbance was observed which coincides with the passage of a high-speed solar wind stream and an interplanetary sector boundary. Superimposed on a regular outward motion of tail condensations of a speed less than or about 100 km/sec, a kink moves down the tail with almost solar wind velocity. From the shape of the kink the direction of the solar wind adjacent to the tail is deduced. Of particular interest are tail segments where the solar wind flows across the tail. A waviness on the windward side of the tail is explained by differential acceleration, i.e., dense tail clouds are more massive and therefore less accelerated by the solar wind. On the leeward side tail rays point into the down-wind direction. During the large-scale disturbance the overall plasma density seems to be enhanced. While a tail disconnection does not occur in the event studied it is proposed that the tail disconnection observed in other, more dramatic events is caused by the differential acceleration mechanism combined with changes in the ion source. These are possibly due to enhanced charge exchange of cometary neutrals in the compression region in front of the high speed stream. The problem of tail ray formation near tail condensations is discussed but no solution is offered.     

Occultation of radio source PKS 2025-15 by comet Kohoutek (1973f)

This paper describes the strong fluctuations in the intensity of radio source PKS 2025-15, observed at 327 MHz, during its occultation by comet Kohoutek (1973f) in 1974, January 5. Possible mechanisms which could produce the observed fluctuations are examined. It is difficult to explain the fluctuations in terms of scintillation produced due to the passage of radio waves through the irregular cometary plasma.No detectable radio emission was observed from the comet at 327 MHz.     

Infrared observations of Comet Kohoutek (1973f)

Comet Kohoutek has been observed at wavelengths between 1.25 μm and 12.5 μm before and after perihelion passage extending to comet-Sun distance 1 AU. The luminosity and the variation of brightness with comet-Sun distance in the infrared are extraordinarily similar to those of Comet Ikeya-Seki (1965f). Apart from an apparent “silicate” emission feature near 10 μm, the spectrum of the comet between 3.5 μm and 12.5 μm is close to that expected from emission by grey particles. Hotter particles and scattered sunlight produce the bulk of the 1.25- to 3.5 μm emission.     

Upper limit on the radar cross section of the comet Kohoutek

An attempt to observe radar echoes from the comet Kohoutek was made at a radio frequency of 7840 MHz (λ ～- 3.8 cm) on 12 January 1974 using the Haystack Observatory radar in Massachusetts. A search for an echo over a range of band-widths covering 2Hz to 66kHz yielded no positive result. The upper limit on the radar cross section is therefore approximately $\text{10}{}^4\text{B}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{km}{}^2$, where B is the (unknown) bandwidth of the echo in Hertz. For $\text{B ? 100}\text{Hz}$, it follows that (i) the nucleus, if a perfect spherical reflector, must be less than 250 km in diameter, and (ii) the density of any millimeter-sized particles must be less than 1m^?3 for a coma of diameter 10⁴km.     

Emission band ratios in Comet Kohoutek (1973f)

Preliminary results of a spectrum scanner study of Comet Kohoutek (1973f) are reported. Ratios of band sequence fluxes and their variations with solar distance have been determined for three sequences of C₂, and two sequences of CN from observations obtained on eleven dates. The λ4050 feature of C₃ was visible on two dates, and CH (λ4300) detectable once.     

Infrared photometric and polarimetric observations of Comet Kohoutek 1973f

Comet Kohoutek (1973f) has been observed photometrically and polarimetrically in the near-infrared region. The observed spectra revealed two components, scattered sunlight and thermal emission by dust particles. Color temperatures derived from intensities at 2.2 and 3.5 μm are close to the equilibrium temperature of a gray body with solar heating. Polarizations at 1.0 and 1.65 μm have been found to be ～15 to 20% and perpendicular to the tail direction. Properties of the dust particles in the comet are discussed in relation to these observations.     

On the discovery of Comet Kohoutek (1973f)

A brief account is given of the circumstances that surrounded the discovery of Comet 1973f.     

Interpretation of the anti-tail of comet Kohoutek as a particle flow phenomenon

The appearance of a “sunward” spike, opposite in apparent orientation to the normal Type-II tail in Comet Kohoutek is interpreted as evidence for large particles ejected near perihelion. It is shown that the shape and orientation can be satisfactorily explained in this manner, after consideration of the increased mass flow at decreasing heliocentric distance. The apparent length of the spike can be a measure of the particle size (d) and density (?_d) and a value of ?_d?0.004 g/cm² fits the Skylab observations.     

HCN radio emission from Comet Kohoutek (1973f)

Radio emission spectra of the J = 1?0 ground state transition of H¹²C¹⁴N has been detected in comet Kohoutek (1973f) before and after perihelion passage. The HCN gas production rate is about 10²⁸ molecules sec^?1 at a heliocentric distance of ～0.4 AU. Multiple Doppler shifts in the observed spectrum suggest jets with velocities ranging up to several km sec^?1.     

Photoelectric observations of band strengths in Comet Kohoutek (1973f)

Photoelectric observations of the strength of the CN band at 3880 Å and of the C₂ bands at 5165 Å and 5635 Å were obtained on eight nights from January 13, 1974 to February 21, 1974. Observations were limited to the nucleus and inner coma.     

Molecule searches in Comet Kohoutek (1973f) at microwave frequencies

Nine transitions of the possible parent molecules H₂O, NH₃, CH₃OH and N₂O as well as the OH radical were searched for in Comet Kohoutek (1973f) in the frequency range 22.2–25.2 GHz. These molecules were not detected, but the upper limits for the optical depth, mean column density and the production rate are derived for each of the molecules. These results are discussed and compared with the reported detections of HCN and CH₃CN emission and OH absorption.     

A search for microwave emission from CH in Comet Kohoutek (1973f)

A search was conducted for the three 9-cm transitions of the ground state Λ-doublet of CH in comet Kohoutek, using the CSIRO 64-m radio telescope and the Onsala Space Observatory's 25.6-m telescope. No lines were detected during the observing periods, and upper limits are given for the corresponding antenna temperatures.     

Absolute spectrophotometry of Comet Kohoutek 1973f: I. Column densities of cyanogen

Absolute spectrophotometry of the coma of Comet Kohoutek 1973f is discussed for the nights of January 24 and 26, 1974. Specific intensities are measured for spectral features and a continuum band in the wavelength region λλ3460–6062Å. The (0, 0) band of the Δν = 0 sequence of the violet system of the cyanogen molecule is analyzed and column densities of 1.7 × 10¹⁵m^?2 and 3.4 × 10¹⁴m^?2 are found for January 24 and 26, 1974, respectively. The analysis of the bands of C₂ will be reported in a second paper of this series.     

On the shape and orientation of the tail of Comet Kohoutek (1973f)

Twenty-two photographs of Comet Kohoutek (1973f) have been projected onto the comet's orbital plane under the assumption of a flat tail confined in that plane. The comet has a mixed-type tail; therefore the results concerning Type I and Type II components of the tail are presented separately. The axis of the Type I tail appears to sweep back and forth with respect to the prolonged radius vector in a rather periodical way. Interpretations advanced by some authors for the analogous case of Comet Burnham (1959k) are mentioned briefly. For the Type II tail, a comparison with a theoretical tail model by Sekanina has allowed us to establish when the onset of appreciable dust production occurred. Finally, mention is made of the fact that some peculiarities of the dust tail might be also explained by assuming a three-dimensional model.     

Spectrophotometric observations of comet Hartley-Good (1985l)

Spectrophotometric observations of Cornet Hartley-Good (19851) during five nights in 1985 are presented in the wavelength range 3200–7000 ». The emission bands due to CN, CH, C₂, and C₃ molecules are observed. The abundances (N) and production rates (Q) of the molecules are derived.     

Spectrophotometric study of comet Bradfield (1987s)

Spectrophotometric observations of head of comet Bradfield (1987s) during three nights in 1987 are presented. An estimate of the CN, C ₂, and C ₃ column densities and production rates have been made.     

Spectrophotometric study of comet Austin (1989 C1)

Spectrophotometric observations of the head of comet Austin (1989 C1) during five nights in May 1990 are presented. Emission bands due to CN, C₂ and C₃ molecules have been identified. An estimate of their column densities and production rates have been made.     

Near-infrared observations of the dust coma of Comet Kohoutek (1973f) with a tilting-filter Fabry-Perot photometer

By means of narrow-band Fabry-Perot filters, which exclude the interference from molecular line fluorescence, the brightness of Comet Kohoutek (1973f) has been measured at 8560 and 8748 Å. Data reduction on the basis of averaged Mie-scattering cross sections indicates that the dust production rate was different before and after perihelion at the same heliocentric distances. This asymmetry suggests that vaporization and dust entrainment were governed by fractionation of a multicomponent mixture of parent molecules in a comparatively porous cometary nucleus.     

Photography of comets 1973f (Kohoutek) and 1974b (Bradfield) at Mauna Kea observatory

A catalog and examples of photographs of Comets Kohoutek (1973f) and Bradfield (1974b) made at Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii are given. Some photographs were obtained with an Aero Ektar ?/2.5 lens of 305-mm focal length, but most were made with a Celestron ?/1.5 Schmidt camera, also of 305-mm focal length.