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M. J. Mumma (NASA GSFC), N. Dello Russo, M. DiSanti (Catholic Univ. and NASA GSFC), A. M. Gilbert, J. R. Graham (Univ. Cal. Berkeley), I. S. McLean, E. E. Becklin (Univ. Cal. Los Angeles), D. F. Figer (STScI), J. E. Larkin (Univ. Cal. Los Angeles), N. A. Levenson (Johns Hopkins UNiv.), H. I. Teplitz (NASA GSFC), M. K. Wilcox (Univ. Cal. Los Angeles)
We observed comet Lee with NIRSPEC at the Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea, HI on 2 June 1999. NIRSPEC is a cryogenic cross-dispersed high-dispersion infrared spectrometer (1 - 5.5 micrometers) now available as a facility instrument at Keck. Spectra were acquired using two different echelle/cross-disperser combinations, with 240 seconds integration time on source for each setting. The slit length was 24 arc-sec on the sky. Two-thirds of the 3.1 - 3.6 micrometer wavelength region was sampled at a resolving power of ~24,000. Spectral extracts from two orders revealed emission lines of parent volatiles ethane and methane, and a new band system of OH. An unidentified emission near 3000.9 cm-1 is neither ethane nor methane, but could be a line of methanol. These extracts represent only 12.5 % of the total spectral region sampled on 2 June. The full range of spectra will be presented and discussed. These are the first observations of the key cometary organics region acquired with the first of the next generation infrared spectrometers.