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| Paper: |
Measuring the Distribution and Excitation of Cometary Volatiles Using ALMA |
| Volume: |
499, Revolution in Astronomy with ALMA: The Third Year |
| Page: |
307 |
| Authors: |
Charnley, S. B.; Cordiner, M. A.; Remijan, A. J.; Boissier, J.; Milam, S. N.; Mumma, M. J.; Villanueva, G.; Paganini, L.; Bockelée-Morvan, D.; Biver, N.; Kuan, Y.-J.; Chuang, Y.-L.; Lis, D. C.; Crovisier, J.; Coulson, I.; Minniti, D. |
| Abstract: |
We present measurements of spatially and spectrally resolved CH3OH emission from the coma of comet C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS) observed using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in June 2014. The CH3OH distribution is centrally peaked, with a spatial profile consistent with production from the sublimation of ices from the nucleus. From the detection of seven strong CH3OH lines in the J=7–6 band, the line-of-sight average rotational excitation temperature (Trot) is derived as a function of distance across the coma. At the CH3OH peak, we find Trot=92±6 K, falling to about 40 K at a distance of 1000 km. |
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