Heterogeneous grain morphologies and acceleration mechanisms in cometary coma dust dynamics: Mass envelope dispersion

You are here: Homepage > Search

Heterogeneous grain morphologies and acceleration mechanisms in cometary coma dust dynamics: Mass envelope dispersion

Carey, W.C. / McDonnell, J.A.M. / Welch, C.S. / Zarnecki, J.C.

Abstract Modelling of the cometary coma with respect to the distribution of dust particles within the coma and tail have been performed by a number of authors /1,2,3/. Applications of the Divine model using a program coded for the Giotto DIDSY sensors have also been made to calculate expected sensor response of the instrument and spacecraft impact rates /4/. For a chosen mass of ∼ 10⁻¹⁰g we use the Divine Reference model /1/ to investigate the effect on the mass envelope of i) a velocity spread in dust particle ejection; and ii) a variation in the particle type. The results show that effects i) and ii) lead to a smoothing-out of the anticipated peak flux at an envelope boundary. A conceptual model to follow the formation and development of dust jets is also presented and effects illustrated for various nucleus rotation periods.