Optical Spectroscopy of Comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) at the Guillermo Harro Astrophysical Observatory in Mexico

We present a preliminary analysis of medium resolution optical spectra of comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) obtained on 22 November 2001. Theemission lines of the molecules C sub(2), C sub(3), CN, NH sub(2),H sub(2)O super(+ ) and presumably CO (Asundi and triplet bands) and C sub(2) super(-)were identified in these spectra. By analysing the brightnessdistributions of the C sub(2), C sub(3), CN emission lines along theslit of the spectrograph we determined some physical parameters of theseneutrals, such as their lifetimes and expansion velocities inthe coma. The Franck-Condon factors for the CO Asundi bands and C sub(2) super(-) bands were calculated using a Morse potential model.