S22B0055

We propose high-resolution near-infrared spectroscopic observations of comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) classified as a "dynamically new comet" that comes from the Oort Cloud directly into the inner solar system for the first time and therefore the members of this group are considered the most pristine icy small bodies in the solar system, the least affected by solar heating. To obtain the pristine information contained within ices in the proto-planetary disk of the Sun, observations of dynamically new comets at ∼2-3 au from the Sun before their first approach to the inner solar system are essential. However, to date few dynamically new comets have not been observed during pre-perihelion beyond ∼2 au from the Sun to date. Therefore, this is the first opportunity to sample cometary ices in their most unaltered state, resulting from their long storage in the Oort cloud. We plan to measure the chemical composition of cometary molecules (hypervolatiles such as CO, CH₄, and C₂H₆, as well as other minor species, together with H₂O) using NIRSPEC at Keck II.

This document was translated from L^AT_EX by H^EV^EA.