32.18-P

The Spatial and Temporal Distribution of CO+ and CN in C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp)

S. M. Larson, C. W. Hergenrother (U. Arizona), J. C. Brandt (U. Colorado)

A wealth of data on the morphology of CO+ and CN in Comet Hale-Bopp has been obtained with a variety of groundbased telescopes. We present preliminary results showing spectacular CO+ structure in the head and inner tail with major changes taking place in a few minutes. The effects of interaction with the solar wind magnetic field can be seen in structure on the sunward side. Near-nuclear CN appears as discrete jets; some of which are co-spatial with dust jets, but others which do not appear in continuum-band images. Of particular interest is that the CN jets continue emitting during the time the dust emission has ceased in the (presumably) unlit hemisphere of the nucleus. The structure appears to support an extended source for the CN as well as a compositionally inhomogenous nucleus.

This work is supported by NASA Planetary Astronomy grants NAG5-4049, NAG5-4350, NAG5-4151, and NASA Planetary Atmospheres grant NAG5-3751.