Molecular Outgassing in Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 during Its Exceptional 2021 Outburst: Coordinated Multiwavelength Observations Using nFLASH at APEX and iSHELL at the NASA-IRTF
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2023

The extraordinary 2021 September-October outburst of Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 afforded an opportunity to test the composition of primitive Kuiper disk material at high sensitivity. We conducted nearly simultaneous multiwavelength spectroscopic observations of 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 using iSHELL at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and nFLASH at the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) on 2021 October 6, with follow-up APEX/nFLASH observations on 2021 October 7 and 2022 April 3. This coordinated campaign between near-infrared and radio wavelengths enabled us to sample molecular emission from a wealth of coma molecules and to perform measurements that cannot be accomplished at either wavelength alone. We securely detected CO emission on all dates with both facilities, including velocity-resolved spectra of the CO (J = 2-1) transition with APEX/nFLASH and multiple CO (v = 1-0) rovibrational transitions with IRTF/iSHELL. We report rotational temperatures, coma kinematics, and production rates for CO and stringent (3σ) upper limits on abundance ratios relative to CO for CH4, C2H6, CH3OH, H2CO, CS, and OCS. Our upper limits for CS/CO and OCS/CO represent their first values in the literature for this Centaur. Upper limits for CH4, C2H6, CH3OH, and H2CO are the most stringent reported to date, and are most similar to values found in ultra CO-rich Oort cloud comet C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS), which may have implications for how ices are preserved in cometary nuclei. We demonstrate the superb synergy of coordinated radio and near-infrared measurements, and advocate for future small-body studies that jointly leverage the capabilities of each wavelength.

2096

Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

Comae

215

280

Near infrared astronomy

High resolution spectroscopy

Radio astronomy

271

Centaur group

Molecular spectroscopy

1338

2095

Comets

1093

Författare

Nathan X. Roth

University of Hawaii

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Catholic University of America

S.N. Milam

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Michael A. DiSanti

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Geronimo L. Villanueva

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Sara Faggi

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

American University

B. P. Bonev

American University

Martin A. Cordiner

Catholic University of America

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

A. J. Remijan

National Radio Astronomy Observatory

D. Bockelée-Morvan

Université Paris Descartes

N. Biver

Université Paris Descartes

J. Crovisier

Université Paris Descartes

Dariusz C. Lis

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Steven B. Charnley

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Emmanuel Jehin

Universite de Liège

Eva Wirström

Chalmers, Rymd-, geo- och miljövetenskap, Onsala rymdobservatorium

Adam J. McKay

Appalachian State University

Planetary Science Journal

26323338 (eISSN)

Vol. 4 9 172

Onsala rymdobservatorium infrastruktur

Vetenskapsrådet (VR) (2017-00648), 2018-01-01 -- 2021-12-31.

Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2011)

Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi

Fundament

Grundläggande vetenskaper

Infrastruktur

Onsala rymdobservatorium

DOI

10.3847/PSJ/ace1e9

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2025-03-09