Water production and release in Comet 153P/Ikeya–Zhang (C/2002 C1): accurate rotational temperature retrievals from hot-band lines near 2.9-μm

Multiple non-resonance fluorescence lines of water (H2O) were detected in Comet 153/P Ikeya–Zhang (2002 C1) between UT 2002 March 21.9 (Rh=0.51 AU) and April 13.9 (Rh=0.78 AU), using the Cryogenic Echelle Spectrometer (CSHELL) at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. Analysis of 2.9-μm water lines enabled accurate determination of rotational temperatures on three dates. The derived H2O rotational temperatures were 138+6−5, 141+10−9, and 94±3 K on UT 2002 March 22.0, March 23.0, and April 13.8, respectively. Water production rates were retrieved from spectral lines measured in nineteen separate grating settings over seven observing periods. The derived heliocentric dependence of the water production rate was Q=(9.2±1.1)×1028[Rh(−3.21±0.26)] molecules s−1. The spatial distribution of H2O in the coma was consistent with its release directly from the nucleus (as a native source) on all dates.