Abstract
The extraordinary brightness of comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1) offered the rare opportunity to investigate its ion tail by observations over a wide range of wavelengths. For the first time, ion emission lines could be detected in the radio domain, originating from H3O+, HCO+ and CO+ ions. Observations in the extreme ultraviolet range showed O+ emissions. Optical imaging observations show a spectacular detail of structures in the ion tail. The combined measurements of the ion spatial distribution and dynamic provide a wealth of information which needs to be understood in terms of models of the comet-solar wind interaction and ion-neutral molecule reactions in the coma.
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Rauer, H. Ion composition and solar wind interaction: Observations of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). Earth, Moon, and Planets 79, 161–178 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006285300913
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006285300913