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Comet Taxonomy and Evolution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2016

David G. Schleicher
David G. Schleicher*
Affiliation:
Lowell Observatory 1400 W. Mars Hill Rd. Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA E-mail dschleicher@lowell.edu

Abstract

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Measurements of physical and dynamical properties of comets have yielded considerable evidence for variations in the origin and evolution of these primordial objects. Given these findings, one might reasonably expect to observe differences in the chemical composition as well. This paper reviews our current state of knowledge of the similarities and differences in the composition of comets, and summarizes the recent findings by A'Hearn et al. (1994) for two taxonomic classes of comets and evidence of compositional variation due to origin and/or evolution.

Type
Origin and Evolution
Information
Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 160: Asteroids, Comets, Meteors 1993 , 1994 , pp. 415 - 428
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer 1994 

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