Previously unobserved water lines detected in the post-impact spectrum of Comet Tempel 1
Abstract
The recently puplished Barber-Tennyson (BT2) synthetic H2O water line list is the most complete and accurate line list in existence. It is finding application in a wide range of astrophysical environments. UKIRT spectra of comet Tempel 1, obtained after the 'Deep Impact' event, revealed several known H2O solar pumped fluorescent (SPF)lines in the 2.8945 to 2.8985 μm region. In addition, using synthetic spectra produced with BT2, several emission lines were identified that had not previously been recorded in cometary spectra. Unlike the SPF lines, which are transitions from doubly-excited stretch states, these transitions, that we label 'SH', are from states with three or four quanta of vibrational excitation. The SH features were particularly strong during the period 20-40 minutes after impact.
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