Atomic Emission Lines in the Spectrum Observed after the Impact between the L‐Fragment of Comet D/Shoemaker‐Levy 9 and Jupiter

Emission lines of neutral Na, Fe, Ca, and Li atoms were detected in the wavelength range 575-700 nm in the spectra of the plume produced by the L-fragment impact of comet D/Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter. If the fluorescence mechanism is responsible for excitation of the Na I and Li I resonance lines, then the ratio Li/Na = (1.2 ± 0.3) × 10 -3 is quite compatible with meteoritic values. A lower limit of about 10 13 g was estimated for the mass of the L-fragment.