Bockelée-Morvan D, Biver N, Moreno R, Colom P, Crovisier J, Gérard E, Henry F, Lis D C, Matthews H, Weaver H A, Womack M, Festou M C
Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, F-92195, Meudon, France.
Science. 2001 May 18;292(5520):1339-43. doi: 10.1126/science.1058512.
The gas activity of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) was monitored at radio wavelengths during its disruption. A runaway fragmentation of the nucleus may have begun around 18 July 2000 and proceeded until 23 July. The mass in small icy debris (</=30-centimeter radius) was comparable to the mass in the large fragments seen in optical images. The mass budget after breakup suggests a small nucleus ( approximately 100- to 300-meter radius) that had been losing debris for weeks. The HNC, H2CO, H2S, and CS abundances relative to H2O measured during breakup are consistent with those obtained in other comets. However, a deficiency in CH3OH and CO is observed.
在彗星C/1999 S4（LINEAR）解体期间，对其射电波段的气体活动进行了监测。彗核的失控碎裂可能于2000年7月18日左右开始，并一直持续到7月23日。小冰质碎片（半径≤30厘米）中的物质质量与光学图像中所见大碎片中的物质质量相当。解体后的质量预算表明，彗核较小（半径约100至300米），且数周来一直在损失碎片。解体期间测得的HNC、H2CO、H2S和CS相对于H2O的丰度与在其他彗星中获得的丰度一致。然而，观测到甲醇和一氧化碳存在不足。
