Sounding rockets containing electrographic Schmidt cameras to image the hydrogen Lyman-alpna (121.5 nm) emission from comet Halley were launched on 24 Feb. 1986 and 13 Mar. 1986. The second rocket was launched 13 hr before the fly-by of the Giotto spacecraft. High quality images of the Lyman-alpha emissions from the comet were obtained on both flights. The images cover a 20 deg field of view with 3 arcmin resolution. The data from both flights were analyzed with a radial outflow model and hydrogen production rates of 1.86 times 10 to the 30th power/sec and 1.4 times 10 to the 30th power/sec obtained. Analysis of the Lyman-alpha isophote displacements due to solar photon pressure yields a mean hydrogen outflow velocity of 8 km/sec.
H Lyman-alpha Imagery of Comet P/Halley from Sounding Rockets
1986
5 pages
Report
No indication
English