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Science 1 August 1997:
Vol. 277. no. 5326, pp. 676 - 681
DOI: 10.1126/science.277.5326.676
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Reports

Evidence for Interacting Gas Flows and an Extended Volatile Source Distribution in the Coma of Comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake)

Walter M. Harris, * Michael R. Combi, R. Kent Honeycutt, Béatrice E. A. Mueller, Frank Scherb

Images of comet C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) taken during its close approach to Earth show differences in the distribution of gas and dust in the inner coma and reveal two arc-shaped molecular resonant emission features. The morphology of these features, as well as the apparent decoupling gas from dust in the inner coma, suggest that an extended region of icy grains surrounds the nucleus of Hyakutake and contributes substantially to the production of volatiles. Model simulations suggest the same conclusion and indicate that the brighter arc is explainable by the presence of a trailing condensation of ice-bearing granules with a rate of volatile production approximately 23 percent of that of the nucleus.

W. M. Harris, Space Astronomy Laboratory, University of Wisconsin, 1150 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
M. R. Combi, Space Physics Research Laboratory, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2143, USA.
R. K. Honeycutt, Department of Astronomy, Indiana University, Swain Hall West, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
B. E. A. Mueller, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA.
F. Scherb, Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, 1150 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: wharris{at}sal.wisc.edu

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Radar Detection of the Nucleus and Coma of Comet Hyakutake (C/1996 B2).
J. K. Harmon, S. J. Ostro, L. A. Benner, K. D. Rosema, R. F. Jurgens, R. Winkler, D. K. Yeomans, D. Choate, R. Cormier, J. D. Giorgini, et al. (1997)
Science 278, 1921-1924
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