Spectral studies of comets in the ultraviolet range and prospects of the WSO-UV project in these studies

Abstract

Many problems of determining the chemical composition of comets and studying the physical processes in cometary nuclei can only be solved by using observational data in the UV range of the electromagnetic spectrum (115–300 nm). Cometary observations have a number of features in comparison with such studies of other astronomical objects. The World Space Observatory — Ultraviolet mission, planned for launch in 2021, will overcome most of the challenges in these studies and will be able to become an essential tool of cometary UV research in the following decade.