Adaptation of planetary atmospheres modeling methods for analysis of coma dust optical properties in Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp): I

Incipient attempts to apply a single-scattering polarized radiative transfe r code along with planetary atmospheres spectrum synthesis procedures to ph otometric analyses of coma dust optical properties in Comet Hale-Bopp have lead to results which are consistent with other independent derivations of dust physical properties like particle composition, size, number densities, and ejection speeds. In the present optical modeling, preperihelion absolu te filter photometry of Hale-Bopp's inner coma is compared with synthesized spectra of candidate haze particles. The calculations have demonstrated th at the reflectances of crystalline olivine aerosols with effective radii of about 0.15 mu m are compatible with the comet's lambda approximate to 0.4- 0.7 mu m spectrum. A good fit to Hale-Bopp's continuum spectrum is achieved with a high preponderance of these bright, submicrometer-sized particles. (C) 1999 Academic Press.