Abstract
The infrared spectral region (1–1000 µm) is important for studies of both molecules and solid grains in comets. Infrared astronomy is in the midst of a technological revolution, with the development of sensitive 2-dimensional arrays leading to infrared cameras and spectrometers with vastly improved sensitivity and resolution. The Halley campaign gave us tantalizing first glimpses of the comet science possible with this new technology, evidenced, for example, by the many new spectral features detected in the infrared. The techniques of photometry, imaging, and spectroscopy are reviewed in this chapter and their status at the time of the Halley observations is described.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
A’Hearn, M.F. (1988). ‘Observations of cometary nuclei,’ Ann. Rev. Earth Planetary Sci. 16, 273–293.
A’Hearn, M.F., Dwek, E., and Tokunaga, A.T. (1984). ‘Infrared photometry of Comet Bowell and other comets.’ Astrophys. J. 282, 803.
Aitken, D.K., and Roche, P.F. (1982). ‘8–13 µm spectrophotometry of compact planetary nebulae and emission line objects.’ Mon. Not. R. Astr. Soc. 200, 217.
Allen, D.A., and Cragg, T.A. (1983). ‘The AAO JHKL’ photometric standards.’ MNRAS 203, 777–783.
Becklin, E.E., and Westphal, J.A. (1966). ‘Infrared Observations of Comet 1965f.’ Astrophys. J. 145, 445.
Beichman, C., et al. (1985). ‘IRAS Explanatory Supplement,’ Chapter VI.
Blackwell, D.E., Leggett, S.K., Petford, A.D., Mountain, C.M., and Selby, M.J. (1983). ‘Absolute calibration of the infrared flux from Vega at 1.24, 2.20, 3.76, and 4.6 µm by comparison with a standard furnace.’ MNRAS 205, 897–905.
Bockelée-Morvan, D., and Crovisier, J. (1989). ‘The nature of the 2.8-µm emission feature in cometary spectra.’ Astron. Astrophys. 216, 278.
Booth, A.J., Selby, M. J., Blackwell, D. E., Petford, A. D., and Arribas, S. (1989). ‘Determination of the absolute flux from Vega at 2.25 µm.’ Astron. Astrophys. 218, 167.
Bregman, J.D., Campins, H., Witteborn, F.C., Wooden, D.H., Rank, D.M., Allamandola, L.J., Cohen, M., and Tielens, A.G.G.M. (1987). ‘Airborne and groundbased spectrophotometry of comet P/Halley from 5–13 micrometers.’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 616.
Brooke, T.Y., Knacke, R.F., and Joyce, R.R. (1987). ‘The near-infrared polarization and color of comet P/Halley,’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 621.
Campins, H., Joy, M., Harvey, P.M., Lester, D.F., and Ellis, H.B. (1987). ‘Airborne photometry of Comet Halley from 40 to 160 microns.’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 632.
Campins, H., Rieke, G.H., and Lebofsky, M.J. (1985). ‘Absolute calibration of photometry at 1 through 5 µm.’ Astron. J. 90, 896.
Campins, H., Bregman, J.D., Witteborn, F.C., Wooden, D.H., Rank, D.M., Allamandola, L.J., Cohen, M., and Tielens, A.G.G.M. (1987). ‘Airborne spectrophotometry of comet Halley from 5 to 9 microns.’ In Proc. 20th ESLAB Symp. on the Exploration of Halley’s Comet (B. Battrick, E.J. Rolfe, and R. Reinhard, Eds.), ESA SP-250, Vol. 2, p. 121.
Campins, H., and Tokunaga, A., (1988). ‘Infrared observations of the dust coma.’ In Infrared Observations of Comets Halley and Wilson and Properties of the Grains, NASA Conf. Pub. 3004 (M.S. Hanner, Ed.), p. 1.
Campins, H., Rieke, M. J., and Rieke, G. H. (1989). ‘An infrared color gradient in the inner coma of Comet Halley.’ Icarus 78, 54.
Campins, H., and Ryan, E.V. (1989). ‘The identification of crystalline olivine in cometary silicates.’ Astrophys. J. 341, 1059.
Carter, B.S. (1990). ‘Southern JHKL standards.’ MNRAS 242, 1–5.
Combes, M., et al. (1986). ‘Infrared sounding of comet Halley from VEGA 1.’ Nature 321, 266.
Crovisier, J. (1989). ‘Infrared cometary spectroscopy.’ In 22nd ESLAB Symp. on Infrared Spectroscopy in Astronomy, ESA SP-290, in press.
Drapatz, S., Larson, H.P., and Davis, D.S. (1987). ‘Search for methane in comet P/Halley.’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 497.
Dreiling, L.A., and Bell, R.A. (1980). ‘The chemical composition, gravity and temperature of Vega.’ Astrophys. J. 241, 736.
Elias, J.H., Frogel, J.A., Matthews, K., and Neugebauer, G. (1982). ‘Infrared standard stars.’ Astron. J. 87, 1029.
Elias, J.H., Frogel, J.A., Hyland, A.R., and Jones, T.J. (1983). ‘Comparison of the Mt. Stromlo/ AAO. and Cal Tech/Tololo infrared photometric systems.’ Astron. J. 88, 1027.
Engels, D., Sherwood, W.A., Wamsteker, W., and Schultz, G.V. (1981). ‘Infrared observations of southern bright stars.’ Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser. 45, 5.
Gehrz, R.D. Grasdalen, G.L., and Hackwell, J. A. (1987). ‘Infrared astronomy.’ In Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology 2, 53.
Gehrz, R.D., Hackwell, J.A., and Jones, T.W. (1974). ‘Infrared observations of Be stars from 2.3 to 19.5 microns.’ Astrophys. J. 191, 675.
Gezari, D.Y., Folz, W.C., Woods, L.A., and Woolridge, J.B. (1988). ‘A 58 × 62 pixel Si:Ga array camera for 5–14 µm astronomical imaging.’ Proc. SPIE. 973, in press.
Gillett, F.C., Dereniak, E.L., and Joyce, R.R. (1977). ‘Detectors for infrared astronomy.’ Opt. Engr. 16, 544.
Gillett, F.C., Low, F.J., and Stein, W.A. (1968). ‘Stellar spectra from 2.8–14 microns.’ Astrophys. J. 154, 677.
Glaccum, W., Moseley, S.H., Campins, H., and Loewenstein, R.F. (1987). ‘Airborne spectrophotometry of P/Halley from 20 to 65 microns.’ Astron Astrophys. 187, 635.
Glass, I.S. (1974). ‘JHKL photometry of 145 southern stars.’ Mon. Not. Astr. Soc. S. Africa 33, 53.
Grasdalen, G. L., Gehrz, R.D., Hackwell, J.A., and Freedman, R. (1985). ‘20-micron transparency and atmospheric water vapor at the Wyoming infrared observatory.’ Pub. Astron. Soc. Pac. 97, 1013.
Hackwell, J.A. (1971). ‘Emission spectrum of comet Bennett.’ Observatory 91, 33.
Hall, D.N.B., Aikens, R.S., Joyce, R., and McCurnin, T.W., (1975). ‘Johnson noise limited operation of photovoltaic InSb detectors.’ App. Optics 14, 450.
Hammel, H.B., Telesco, C.M., Campins, H., Decher, R., Storrs, A.D., and Cruikshank, D. P. (1987). ‘Albedo maps of comets P/Halley and P/Giacobini-Zinner.’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 665.
Hanner, M.S. (1984). ‘A comparison of the dust properties in recent periodic comets.’ Adv. Space Res., 4,(9), 189.
Hanner, M.S., Tokunaga, A.T., Veeder, G.J., and A’Hearn, M.F. (1984). ‘Infrared photometry of the dust in comets.’ Astron. J. 89, 162.
Hanner, M.S., Kupferman, P.N., Bailey, G., and Zarnecki, J.C. (1987). ‘Infrared imaging with JPL’s linear array camera.’ In Infrared Astronomy with Arrays (C.G. Wynn-Williams and E.E. Becklin, Eds.), Institute for Astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, p. 205.
Hanner, M.S., Ed. (1988). ‘Infrared observations of Comets Halley and Wilson and properties of the grains,’ NASA Conference Publ. 3004.
Hayward, T.L., and Grasdalen, G.L. (1987). ‘Infrared images of comets. I. P./Giacobini-Zinner (1985e).’ Astron. J. 94, 1339.
Hayward, T.L., Grasdalen, G.L., and Green, S.F., (1988). ‘An albedo map of P/Halley on 13 March 1986.’ In Infrared Observations of Comets Halley and Wilson and Properties of the Grains, NASA Conf. Pub. 3004 (M.S. Hanner, Ed.), p. 151.
Hayes, D.S. (1985). ‘Stellar absolute fluxes and energy distributions from 0.32 to 4.0 µm.’ In IAU Symp. 111, Calibration of Fundamental Stellar Quantities (D.S. Hayes, L.E. Pasinetti, and A.G. D. Philip, Eds.), Reidel, Dordrecht, p. 225.
Herter, T., Campins, H., and Gull, G.E. (1987). ‘Airborne spectrophotometry of P/Halley from 16 to 30 microns.’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 629.
Johnson, H.L. (1966). ‘Astronomical measurements in the infrared,’ Ann. Rev. Astron. Ap. 193.
Johnson, H.L. (1965). ‘The absolute calibration of the Arizona photometry,’ Comm. Lunar Plan. Lab 3, 73.
Johnson, H.L. (1965). ‘Interstellar extinction in the galaxy,’ Astrophys. J. 141, 923.
Johnson, H.L., et al. (1966). Comm. Lunar Plan. Lab 4, 99.
Jones, T.J., and Hyland, A.R. (1982). ‘Multiaperture JHK photometry of the globular clusters in the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxies.’ Mon. Not. Roy. Astr. Soc. 200, 509.
Joyce, R. (1989). ‘Availability of KPNO IR spectrometer (CRSP).’ NOAO Newsletter No. 17, p. 22.
King, I. (1952). ‘A note on the concept of effective wavelength.’ Astrophys. J. 115, 580.
Koornneef, J. (1983). ‘Near infrared photometry I.’ Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser. 51, 489.
Koornneef, J. (1983). ‘Near infrared photometry II.’ Astron. Astrophys. 128, 84–93.
Krisciunas, K., Sinton, W., Tholen, D., Tokunaga, A., Golisch, W., Griep, D., Kaminski, C., Impey, C., and Christian, C. (1987). ‘Atmospheric extinction and night sky brightness at Mauna Kea.’ Pub. Astron. Soc. Pac. 99, 887.
Kurucz, R.L. (1979). ‘Model atmospheres for G, F, A, B and O stars’. Ap.J. Suppl. 40, 1.
Larson, H.P., Weaver, H.A., Mumma, M.J., and Drapatz, S. (1989). ‘Airborne infrared spectroscopy of comet Wilson (1986l) and comparisons with comet Halley.’ Astrophys. J., submitted.
Lester, D.F., Harvey, P.M., and Carr, J. (1988). ‘Properties of the gas and stellar content of the superluminous galaxy NGC 6240.’ Astrophys. J. 329, 641.
Lockwood, G.W., and Thompson, D.T. (1986). ‘Atmospheric extinction — the ordinary and volcanically induced variations, 1972–1985.’ Astron. J. 92, 976.
Low, F.J. (1961). ‘Low-temperature germanium bolometer.’ J. Opt. Soc. Am. 51, 1300.
Low, F.J., and Rieke, G.H. (1974). ‘The instrumentation and techniques of infrared photometry.’ In Methods of Experimental Physics, Vol. 12 (N. Carelton, Ed.), Academic Press, N.Y., pp. 415–452.
Manduca, A., and Bell, R.A. (1979). ‘Atmospheric extinction in the near-infrared.’ Pub. Astron. Soc. Pac. 91, 848.
Merrill, K.M. (1974). ‘8–13 µm spectrophotometry of comet Kohoutek.’ Icarus 23, 566.
Moorwood, A.F.M. (1987). ‘IRSPEC: Design, performance and first scientific results.’ In Infrared Astronomy with Arrays (C.G. Wynn-Williams and E.E. Becklin, Eds.), Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, p. 379.
Moroz, V.I., et al. (1987). ‘Detection of parent molecules in comet P/Halley from the IKS-Vega experiment.’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 513.
Morrison, D., and Lebofsky, L. (1979). ‘Radiometry of asteriods.’ In Asteroids (T. Gehreis, Ed.), Univ. Arizona Press, Tucson, p. 184.
Mountain, C.M., Leggett, S.K., Selby, M.J., Blackwell, D.E., and Petford, A.D. (1985). ‘Measurement of the absolute flux from Vega at 4.92 µm.’ Astron. Astrophys. 151, 399–402.
Mumma, M.J., Weaver, H.A., Larson, H.P., Davis, D.S., and Williams, M. (1986). ‘Detection of water vapor in Halley’s comet.’ Science 232, 1523.
Mumma, M.J., Blass, W.E., Weaver, H.A., and Larson, H.P. (1988). ‘Measurements of the orthopara ratio and the nuclear spin temperature of water vapor in comets Halley and Wilson (1986l) and implications for their origin and evolution.’ BAAS 20, 826; Proc. Workshop on Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems, STScI, May 9–11, 1988.
Neckel, H., and Labs, D. (1981). ‘Improved data of solar spectral irradiance from 0.33 to 1.25 µm.’ Solar Phys. 74, 231.
Ney, E.P. (1974). ‘Multiband photometry of comets Kohoutek, Bennett, Bradfield, and Encke.’ Icarus, 23, 551.
Ney, E.P. (1982). ‘Optical and infrared observations of comets in the range 0.5 µm to 20 µm.’ In Comets (L.L. Wilkening, Ed.), Univ. Arizona Press, Tucson, p. 323.
Rieke, G.H., Lebofsky, M.J., and Low, F.J. (1985). ‘An absolute photometric system at 10 and 20 µm.’ Astron. J. 90, 900.
Ridgway, S.T., and Hinkle, K.H. (1988). ‘The impact of array detectors on high resolution infrared spectroscopy.’ In The Impact of Very High S/N Spectroscopy on Stellar Physics (G. Cayrel de Strobel and M. Spite, Eds.), p. 61.
Rode, J.P., Blackwell, J.D., Blessinger, M.A., and Vural, K. (1987). ‘SWIR HgCdTe focal plane arrays for astronomy.’ In Infrared Astronomy with Arrays (C.G. Wynn-Williams and E.E. Becklin, Eds.), Institute for Astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, p. 13.
Schnopper, H.W., and Thompson, R.I. (1974). ‘Fourier spectrometers.’ In Methods of Experimental Physics, Vol. 12, Part A (N. Carleton, Ed.), Academic Press, N.Y., p. 491.
Serkowski, K. (1974). ‘Polarization techniques.’ In Methods of Experimental Physics, 12 (N. Carleton, Ed.) Academic Press, N.Y., p. 361.
Simpson, J.P., Cuzzi, J.N., Erickson, E.F., Strecker, D.W., and Tokunaga, A.T. (1981). ‘Mars: Far-infrared spectra and thermal emission models.’ Icarus 48, 230–245.
Shure, M., Nagata, T.M., Tokunaga, A.T., Forrest, W.J., Pipher, J.L., and Woodward, C.E. (1989). ‘Ground-based infrared imaging of comet Halley.’ In preparation.
Sinton, W.M., and Tittemore, W.C. (1984). ‘Photometric standard stars for L’ and M filter bands.’ Astron. J. 89, 1366.
Stacey, G.J., Lugten, J.B., and Genzel, R. (1987). ‘Detection of OH rotational emission from comet P/Halley in the far-infrared.’ Astron. Astrophys. 187, 451.
Telesco, C.M., Decher, R., Baugher, C., Campins, H., Mozurkewich, D., Thronson, H.A., Cruikshank, D.P., Hammel, H.B., Larson, S., and Sekanina, Z. (1986). ‘Thermal-infrared and visual imaging of comet Giacobini-Zinner.’ Astrophys. J. Lett. 310, L61.
Tokunaga, A.T. (1989). ‘Infrared detector arrays and some applications to spectroscopy.’ Ap. Space Sci. 160, 333.
Tokunaga, A.T. (1986). The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility Photometry Manual.
Tokunaga, A.T. (1984). ‘A reevaluation of the 20 magnitude system.’ Astron. J. 89, 172.
Tokunaga, A.T., Golisch, W.F., Griep, D.M., Kaminski, C.D., and Hanner, M.S. (1986). ‘The NASA infrared telescope facility Comet Halley monitoring program. I. Preperihelion results.’ Astron. J. 92, 1183.
Tokunaga, A.T., Smith, R.G., and Irwin, E. (1987). ‘Use of a 32-element Reticon array for 1 to 5 micrometer spectroscopy.’ In Infrared Astronomy with Arrays (C.G. Wynn-Willians and E.E. Becklin, Eds.), Univ. of Hawaii, Hnolulu, p. 367.
Wade, R. (1983). ‘A 1–5 micron cooled grating array spectrometer and Fabry-Perot system for the UKIRT.’ Proc. SPIE 445, 47.
Walker, R.G., Aumann, H.H., Davies, J., Green, S., De Jong, T., Houck, J.R., and Soifer, B.T. (1984). ‘Observations of comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock 1983d.’ Astrophys. J. 278, L11.
Wamsteker, W. (1981). ‘Standard stars and calibration for JHKLM photometry,’ Astron. Astrophys. 97, 329.
Weaver, H.A. (1989). ‘The volatile composition of comets.’ In Highlights of Astronomy, 8, 387.
Weaver, H.A., Mumma, M.J., Larson, H.P., and Davis, D.S. (1986). ‘Post-perihelion observations of water in comet Halley.’ Nature 324, 441.
Witteborn, F.C., and Bregman, J.D. (1984). ‘A cryogenically cooled, multidetector spectrometer for infrared astronomy.’ Proc. SPIE 509, 123.
Wolfe, W.L., and Zissis, G.J. (1978). The Infrared Handbook, p. 7–118.
Wright, E.L. (1976). ‘Recalibration of the far-infrared brightness temperatures of the planets.’ Astrophys. J. 210, 250.
Wyckoff, S. (1982). ‘Overview of comet observations.’ In Comets (L.L. Wilkening, Ed.), Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, p. 3.
Wynn-Williams, C.G., and Becklin, E.E., Eds. (1987). Infrared Astronomy with Arrays, Proc. Workshop on Ground-Based Astronomical Observations with Infrared Array Detectors. Institute for Astronomy, Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hanner, M.S., Tokunaga, A.T. (1991). Infrared Techniques for Comet Observations. In: Newburn, R.L., Neugebauer, M., Rahe, J. (eds) Comets in the Post-Halley Era. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 167. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3378-4_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3378-4_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5494-2
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-3378-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive