Variations in Volatile-Driven Activity of Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) Revealed by Long-Term Multi-Wavelength Observations

Abstract

Context. A comprehensive study of comets over a wide heliocentric distance range helps us understand the physical processes driving their activity and reveals compositional differences across dynamical groups. C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) is a Dynamically New Oort Cloud comet (DNC) that showed activity as far as 23.75 au and displayed a CO-rich coma at 6.72 au, making it a key object to investigate pre- and post-perihelion behavior. Aims. We aim to study the long-term activity evolution and chemical composition of C/2017 K2 using photometry and spectroscopy, from October 2017 (r${}_h$ = 15.18 au) pre-perihelion to April 2025 (r${}_h$ = 8.46 au) post-perihelion. Methods. Broad-band and narrow-band imaging from both TRAPPIST telescopes enabled us to produce an 8-year light curve, color analysis, and derivation of activity slopes. Production rates of OH, NH, CN, C${}_3$, and C${}_2$ were computed using a Haser model, along with the dust proxy A(0)f$\rho$. High-resolution spectra from CRIRES${}^{+}$ and UVES at three epochs (May - September 2022) provided simultaneous observations of parent and daughter species as the comet crossed the water sublimation zone. Results. The light curve of C/2017 K2 shows a complex evolution with varying slopes and a brightness plateau around perihelion, indicating multiple active species. Coma colors remained constant, suggesting uniform dust properties and similarity to other active long-period comets. Gas production rates indicate a typical C${}_2$/CN composition with a high dust-to-gas ratio. Analysis of forbidden oxygen lines shows a transition from CO and CO${}_2$-driven activity to water-driven sublimation inside 3 au. Infrared spectra reveal C/2017 K2 as a typical-to-enriched comet, with HCN identified as the main parent of CN, and C${}_2$ likely originating from C${}_2$H${}_2$ rather than C${}_2$H${}_6$.

17 pages, 16 figures, 14 tables, Accepted for publication in A&A

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