Comet Hale-Bopp image Comet Hale-Bopp


For my first postdoc at Wisconsin, I analyzed Fabry-Pérot imaging and spectroscopic data of comet Hale-Bopp.  The project was part of a large observing campaign led by Frank Scherb involving several instruments and telescopes.  The data analysis effort was led by Walt Harris.  We wrote a description of the Wisconsin observations for the proceedings of IAU colloquium No. 186.  Also in the proceedings is a preliminary look at high resolution spectra of H-alpha data and a look at collisional effects in the OH distribution of the coma.  With some modeling work, the H-alpha observations may be able to shed some light on why comet Hale-Bopp had so much [OI] emission.  A paper describing that problem and some potential solutions to was published in the Astrophysical Journal and can be downloaded here.  Several other papers have come out of the Hale-Bopp which are listed in my CV.  Although a little out of date, part of my homepage back in Wisconsin has more information on the project, including a link to Chris Anderson's Hale-Bopp page.

Jeffrey P. Morgenthaler 2008-12-17