Unidentified Molecular Ions in Comets
S. Wyckoff, R. S. Heyd (Az St Univ)
Several moderately strong emission bands were discovered in plasma
tail spectra of comet Halley. These molecular bands have no known
laboratory identifications, and have been observed in the plasma tail
spectra of several recent comets. Here we report the absence of
these bands in the tail spectrum of comet Hale-Bopp. We discuss
possible carriers of the unidentifed bands based on correlations of
their occurrences in comets with differing carbon monoxide to water
abundance ratios.