Abstract
The heavy-ion analyser, RPA2-PICCA, aboard the Giotto spacecraft, detected the first cometary ions at a distance of ∼1.05×106 km from the nucleus of comet Halley. In the inner coma the major ions identified are associated with the H2O, CO and CO2 groups. Ions of larger atomic mass unit are also present, corresponding possibly to various hydrocarbons, heavy metals of the iron-group or to sulphur compounds.
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References
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Mendis, D. A., Houpis, H. L. F. & Marconi, M. L. Fundam. Cosmic Phys. 10, 1–380 (1985).
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Korth, A., Richter, A., Loidl, A. et al. Mass spectra of heavy ions near comet Halley. Nature 321 (Suppl 6067), 335–336 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/321335a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/321335a0
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