Speculations about the Origin of H3O+ Seen in Cometary Mass Spectra

摘要

Recent mass spectrometer measurements of the composition of the coma of Giacombini Zinner and Haley comets have indicated the presence of large amounts of H3O(+). SOme of these ions arise from the photoionization of the water dimer, which is formed by direct vaporization of ice from solid surfaces at the cometary necleus or from ice particles ejected in cometary jets. Keywords: Reprints; Hydroxyl Radical; Cluster Ions; Comet.