Chemical kinetics in the coma

Abstract

Physical and chemical conditions in the coma of a bright 'new' comet are related to the composition of the nucleus. Chemical and photolytic processes are described and correlated to distance in the coma above the nucleus and to heliocentric distance of the comet. Two classes for the composition of comets are considered based on their place of origin: in the environs of the giant planets or in a companion fragment of the presolar nebula. Comparison of model results with coma observations leads to some restrictions about the nucleus composition. It is expected that these restrictions become more stringent as coma models are developed further and as observations become more detailed. Composition based on an origin of comets in the presolar nebula yields abundances of C2, C3, and CN that are in agreement with observations.