What do streamers in the dust tail tell about the cometary nucleus?

The interrelations between the physical parameters of a cometary nucleus, and the morphology of the dust tail and its streamers are systematically investigated by means of a model developed by Beißer (1990a), involving a rotating nucleus. The analysis of streamers in the tail, using direct modeling and synchrone grids, provides a suitable tool to deduce substantial informations on the nucleus' state of rotation. Opportunities and limitations of this analysis are discussed. Dust emission parameters like the distribution of active regions on the nucleus, or the emission characteristics can only be determined if certain other physical properties of the nucleus have been independently measured before.     

Evolution of C/2006 M4 (SWAN) comet tails

We studied variations in the structure of plasma and dust tails of the C/2006 M4 (SWAN) comet during a long observation period (September–December 2006). We found sizes of grains ejected by the comet from the synchronic-syndynamic analysis of comet images. We calculated solar wind speed for high heliographic latitudes from calculations of the aberration angle of the comet plasma tail. Rapid changes in the calculated values of the solar wind speed are caused by its variable transversal component.     

Striated features in the dust tail of comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught)

To explain the distinct transversal striae observed in the tail of comet C/2006 P1 (McNaught) near the perihelion, a dynamic model for the formation of the dust tail of the comet has been developed. It is supposed that, on the surface of the nucleus, there are three local active domains of the increased outflow of the material. Formation of the striated features is caused by different rates of material outflow from the active areas depending on which side of the rotating nucleus, illuminated or shadowed, these areas are located. It has been found that the period of the axial rotation of the comet is 21 h.     

哈雷彗星主尾流的研究

哈雷彗星在日彗距较大时出现长而直的主彗尾（尾流），这是很有趣的。尾流一般是指等离子体尾流；但是，当地球接近彗星轨道面时，尘埃尾流可能叠加到主彗尾上。在一般感光波段宽的彗星底片上很难区分这两种尾流。本文选取哈雷彗星在不同日彗距的5条主尾流，作了光度测量和比较分析。得出沿各尾轴及其垂直方向几个截面的亮度分布、亮度半极大全宽、尾轴的视风差角和真风差角及彗尾长度。在所分析的蓝敏底片上，过近日点前的2个尾流肯定是等离子体尾流，而5个尾流的相似性以及其他证据说明它们主要都是等离子体尾流，尘埃彗尾的污染是次要的。     

Dust tail of the active distant Comet C/2003 WT42 (LINEAR) studied with photometric and spectroscopic observations

We present the study of dust environment of dynamically new Comet C/2003 WT42 (LINEAR) based on spectroscopic and photometric observations. The comet was observed before and after the perihelion passage at heliocentric distances from 5.2 to 9.5 AU. Although the comet moved beyond the zone where water ice sublimation could be significant, its bright coma and extended dust tail evidenced the high level of physical activity. Afρ values exceeded 3000 cm likely reaching its maximum before the perihelion passage. At the same time, the spectrum of the comet did not reveal molecular emission features above the reflected continuum. Reddening of the continuum derived from the cometary spectrum is nonlinear along the dispersion with the steeper slop in the blue region. The pair of the blue and red continuum images was analyzed to estimate a color of the comet. The mean normalized reflectivity gradient derived from the innermost part of the cometary coma equals to 8% per 1000 Å that is typical for Oort cloud objects. However, the color map shows that the reddening of the cometary dust varies over the coma increasing to 15% per 1000 Å along the tail axis. The photometric images were fitted with a Monte Carlo model to construct the theoretical brightness distribution of the cometary coma and tail and to investigate the development of the cometary activity along the orbit. As the dust particles of distant comets are expected to be icy, we propose here the model, which describes the tail formation taking into account sublimation of grains along their orbits. The chemical composition and structure of these particles are assumed to correspond with Greenberg’s interstellar dust model of comet dust. All images were fitted with the close values of the model parameters. According to the results of the modeling, the physical activity of the comet is mainly determined by two active areas with outflows into the wide cones. The obliquity of the rotation axis of the nucleus equals to 20° relative to the comet’s orbital plane. The grains occupying the coma and tail are rather large amounting to 1 mm in size, with the exponential size distribution of a^−4.5. The outflow velocities of the dust particles vary from a few centimeters to tens of meters per second depending on their sizes. Our observations and the model findings evidence that the activity of the nucleus decreased sharply to a low-level phase at the end of April–beginning of May 2007. About 190 days later, in the first half of November 2007 the nucleus stopped any activity, however, the remnant tail did not disappear for more than 1.5 years at least.     

Indication for precession of comet Halley's nucleus from dust tail analysis

The distinct structures ta comet Halley's dust tail around the beginning of March 1986 are analyzed by means of a computer simulation based on nucleus data obtained by the Giotto mission. It is shown that the assumption of a considerable free precession is required to understand the ground based dust tail observations from that time supposing a rotational period of some 50 hr. But a precession-free rotation with a period of about 7 days does not contradict an analysis of the dust tail structure. In both cases, an asymmetric distribution of the relevant emission sources is required.     

The Deep Space 1 Encounter with Comet 19p/Borrelly

NASA's Deep Space 1 (DS1) spacecraft successfully encountered comet 19P/Borrelly near perihelion and the Miniature Integrated Camera and Spectrometer (MICAS) imaging system onboard DS1 returned the first high-resolution images of a Jupiter-family comet nucleus and surrounding environment. The images span solar phase angles from 88° to 52°, providing stereoscopic coverage of the dust coma and nucleus. Numerous surface features are revealed on the 8-km long nucleus in the highest resolution images(47–58 m pixel). A smooth, broad basin containing brighter regions and mesa-likestructures is present in the central part of the nucleus that seems to be the source ofjet-like dust features seen in the coma. High ridges seen along the jagged terminator lead to rugged terrain on both ends of the nucleus containing dark patches and smaller series of parallel grooves. No evidence of impact craters with diameters larger thanabout 200-m are present, indicating a young and active surface. The nucleus is very dark with albedo variations from 0.007 to 0.035. Short-wavelength, infrared spectra from 1.3 to 2.6 μm revealed a hot, dry surface consistent with less than about10% actively sublimating. Two types of dust features are seen: broad fans and highlycollimated “jets” in the sunward hemisphere that can be traced to the surface. The source region of the main jet feature, which resolved into at least three smaller “jets” near the surface, is consistent with an area around the rotation pole that is constantly illuminated by the sun during the encounter. Within a few nuclear radii, entrained dustis rapidly accelerated and fragmented and geometrical effects caused from extended source regions are present, as evidenced in radial intensity profiles centered on the jet features that show an increase in source strength with increasing cometocentric distance. Asymmetries in the dust from dayside to nightside are pronounced and may show evidence of lateral flow transporting dust to structures observed in the nightside coma. A summary of the initial results of the Deep Space 1 Mission is provided, highlighting the new knowledge that has been gained thus far.     

Nucleus and tail studies of comet P/Swift-tuttle

CCD images of comet P/Swift-Tuttle, obtained in April 1994 with the 2.2m telescope at ESO La Silla/Chile, showed a comaless stellar nucleus. From absolute photometry we estimated the equivalent radius of the cometary nucleus to be about 11 km (assuming an albedo of 0.04 as for P/Halley) for two rotation phase angles which differ by about 75 deg. From that we conclude that the nucleus is either of rather spherical shape or that the viewing geometry was almost pole-on during our observations.An analysis of the plasma tail and inner coma of the comet by means of photographic plates and CCD images through IHW and BVR filters, obtained with the 80cm Schmidt camera and the 1.2m telescope at Calar Alto/Spain in November 1992, revealed several tail rays, head streamers and substructures in brightness excess areas in the coma. While some of the tail rays extended to several million km nuclear distance, most of them can be traced to starting points which lie in a region just 20000–35000 km projected distance tailward from the nucleus.     

The composition of dust in Jupiter-family comets inferred from infrared spectroscopy

We review the composition of Jupiter-family comet (JFC) dust as inferred from infrared spectroscopy. We find that JFCs have silicate emission features with fluxes roughly 20-25% over the dust continuum (emission strength 1.20-1.25), similar to the weakest silicate features in Oort Cloud (OC) comets. We discuss the grain properties that alter the silicate emission feature (composition, size, and structure/shape), and emphasize that thermal emission from the comet nucleus can have significant influence on the derived silicate emission strength. Recent evidence suggests that grain porosity is the is different between JFCs and OC comets, but more observations and models of silicates in JFCs are needed to determine if a consistent set of grain parameters can explain their weak silicate emission features. Models of 8 m telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope observations have shown that JFCs have crystalline silicates with abundances similar to or less than those found in OC comets, although the crystalline silicate mineralogy of comets 9P/Tempel and C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) differ from each other in Mg and Fe content. The heterogeneity of comet nuclei can also be assessed with mid-infrared spectroscopy, and we review the evidence for heterogeneous dust properties in the nucleus of comet 9P/Tempel. Models of dust formation, mixing in the solar nebula, and comet formation must be able to explain the observed range of Mg and Fe content and the heterogeneity of comet 9P/Tempel, although more work is needed in order to understand to what extent do comets 9P/Tempel and Hale-Bopp represent comets as a whole.     

Dust Morphology Of Comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1). Ii. Introduction Of A Working Model

A Monte Carlo image simulation code for dust features in comets is applied to comet Hale-Bopp in order to model the object's persistent porcupine-like appearance on high-resolution images taken between May 11 and Nov. 2, 1996. A self-consistent fan model is proposed, with six isolated sources of dust emission assumed at various locations on the surface of the rotating nucleus and with the spin axis undergoing a complex motion in an inertial coordinate system. In the framework of this model, jet pairs represent boundaries of fan-shaped formations described by dust ejected from isolated sources during periods of time when the Sun is above the local horizon. The spin axis is found to have traveled through a field of 10° by 20° during the examined period of nearly six months. Still more successful is a fan model with large diurnal dust-emission fluctuations, which is consistent with an inertially fixed position of the spin axis and requires only three discrete sources. In this scenario, the dust-emission profile is dominated by several brief flare-ups, or “puffs”, in the production of dust from one of the sources. The results are insensitive to the spin rate, but the observed dust coma appearance is more typical of a rapidly rotating comet. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evidence for the nucleus rotation in streamer patterns of Comet Halley's dust tail

A generalized Finson-Probstein formalism was used to analyse the streamer patterns in the dust tail of Comet Halley as observed between 22 February and 11 March, 1986. A periodic appearance of a pattern of double streamers was found in the dust tail, indicating a time interval in the emission of this structures of about 6.5 days, if interpreted as synchrones. The time interval between the emission of the two components of each double streamer is about 2.5 days. The results are discussed with respect to the rotation of Halley's nucleus.This work is based on observations made at the European Southern Observatory by ESO staff personal and by observers of the Astronomical Institute of the Ruhr-University, Bochum. We, furthermore, used an exposure made at the U.K. Schmidt telescope at Siding Spring, Australia, operated by the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, and published by Sekanina and Larson (1986).     

Surface Photometry of Comet Hale-Bopp Carbon Images

A very long series of photographic observations of the comet Hale-Bopp has been made during January–April 1997 at the double astrograph (400/2000) of the Main Astronomical Observatory (Kyiv, Ukraine). Some of the cometary photos were obtained with two wide-band filter combinations. One of these combinations isolates C₂ emission, another — the nearby dust continuum. The images were digitized by means of AMDPH-XY machine and then calibrated following the standard procedure. After subtraction of the dust continuum the distribution of surface brightness in the C₂ emission coma of comet Hale-Bopp was studied. We found an asymmetric brightness distribution both pre- and post-perihelion. On 21.77 April 1997 a secondary brightness peak is found at the distance of 1.03 × 10⁵ km from the nucleus. It is possible that this peak is related to the extended source of the C₂ molecules. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Hamiltonian Formulation and Perturbations for Dust Motion Around Cometary Nuclei

In this paper we analyze the dynamical behavior of large dust grains in the vicinity of a cometary nucleus. To this end we consider the gravitational field of the irregularly shaped body, as well as its electric and magnetic fields. Without considering the effect of gas friction and solar radiation, we find that there exist grains which are static relative to the cometary nucleus; the positions of these grains are the stable equilibria. There also exist grains in the stable periodic orbits close to the cometary nucleus. The grains in the stable equilibria or the stable periodic orbits won’t escape or impact on the surface of the cometary nucleus. The results are applicable for large charge dusts with small area-mass ratio which are near the cometary nucleus and far from the Solar. It is found that the resonant periodic orbit can be stable, and there exist stable non-resonant periodic orbits, stable resonant periodic orbits and unstable resonant periodic orbits in the potential field of cometary nuclei. The comet gravity force, solar gravity force, electric force, magnetic force, solar radiation pressure, as well as the gas drag force are all considered to analyze the order of magnitude of these forces acting on the grains with different parameters. Let the distance of the dust grain relative to the mass centre of the cometary nucleus, the charge and the mass of the dust grain vary, respectively, fix other parameters, we calculated the strengths of different forces. The motion of the dust grain depends on the area-mass ratio, the charge, and the distance relative to the comet’s mass center. For a large dust grain (> 1 mm) close to the cometary nucleus which has a small value of area-mass ratio, the comet gravity is the largest force acting on the dust grain. For a small dust grain (< 1 mm) close to the cometary nucleus with large value of area-mass ratio, both the solar radiation pressure and the comet gravity are two major forces. If the a small dust grain which is close to the cometary nucleus have the large value of charge, the magnetic force, the solar radiation pressure, and the electric force are all major forces. When the large dust grain is far away from the cometary nucleus, the solar gravity and solar radiation pressure are both major forces.     

On the visibility of nuclei of dusty comets

The problem of visibility of a cometary nucleus discussed in general terms for single scattering by dust grains. The ratio of radiatio scattered in the dust column above the surface and that reflected from the nucleus determines the visibility of features on the nuclear surface. A contrast parameter characterizing the ration of radiation foming from the nuclear surface and that of the nuclear vicinity describes the visibility of the full nucleus against the dust fore- and background. These quantities and the intensity distribution of scattered solar radiation across the nucleus and its vicinity are calculated for the case of comet Halley at a heliocentric distance of 0.9 AU after perihelion (Giotto encounter). The scattering calculations are based on an isotropic dust distribution derived from hydrodynamics gas-dust interactions resulting in a steep densiity increase right above the surface. For Newburn's nominal model of comet Halley, an optical depth of about 0.5 impairs the visibility of the nucleus somewhat.     

短周期彗星表面水冰升华分布研究

彗星是太阳系遗留的原始星子,研究彗星彗核的演化对理解太阳系其他天体的形成和演化历史具有重要意义.在太阳的辐射作用下,彗星携带的挥发性成分会发生升华,并带动尘埃运动,造成彗核物质的损失.因此,彗核的升华活动对其表面形貌甚至整体形状演化都会产生影响.从IAU (International Astronomical Union) MPC (Minor Planet Center)获取轨道数据,并考虑了彗核的自转以及进动,利用MONET (Mass lossdriven shape evolution model)形状演化模型对短周期彗星做数值模拟,计算得到了短周期彗星1P/Halley、9P/Tempel 1、 19P/Borrelly、 67P/C-G (Churyumov-Gerasimenko)、 81P/Wild 2和103P/Hartley 2在一个轨道周期内的太阳辐射能量以及表面侵蚀深度的分布,结合其动力学参数讨论了自转、进动和公转等特性对其表面水冰升华分布的影响以及造成南北侵蚀差异的可能性.     

Analyses of dust coma morphology of Comet Hyakutake (1996 B2) near perigee: outburst behavior, jet motion, source region locations, and nucleus pole orientation

We present inner-coma dust imaging of Comet Hyakutake (1996 B2) obtained on 11 consecutive nights in late March 1996, an interval including a major outburst and the comet’s closest approach to Earth. The evolution of the outburst morphology is followed, along with the motion along the tail of several outburst fragments. Two spiral dust jets—a primary jet, along with a much weaker secondary jet—are visible throughout the interval and are produced by two source regions on a rotating nucleus. These are examined as a function of rotational phase and viewing geometry, with their appearance changing from a nearly face-on view on March 18 to side-on by March 28. The dust outflow velocity as a function of distance from the nucleus is derived, with the dust continuing to accelerate to a distance of 4000 km or more and reaching an average outflow velocity of 0.38 km s⁻¹ between 3000 and 8000 km. We present details of our Monte Carlo modeling of the jets and our methodology of fitting the model to the images. The modeling yields the pole orientation of the nucleus, with an obliquity of approximately 108°, corresponding to an RA of 13^h41^m and a Dec of −1.1°. For an assumed spherical nucleus, the primary active region is centered at approximately −66° latitude, has a radius of about 56°, and therefore covers about 22% of the surface. The source of the secondary jet is at a latitude of −28°, has a radius of about 16°, and is located at a longitude nearly 180° away from the primary source. Estimated uncertainties for the pole orientation and the source locations and sizes are each about 3°. This solution for the nucleus orientation and source locations explains the strong asymmetry in measured production rates before and after perihelion in radio observations (Biver et al., 1999, Astron. J. 118, 1850-1872). The modeling also tightly constrains the sidereal rotation period as 0.2618 ± 0.0001 day, completely consistent with the expected +0.0003 day difference from the observed solar rotation period of 0.2614 ± 0.0004 day determined by Schleicher and Osip (2002, Icarus 159, 210-233), given the pole orientation and position of the comet in its orbit.     

Infrared photometric and polarimetric observations of Comet Kohoutek 1973f

Comet Kohoutek (1973f) has been observed photometrically and polarimetrically in the near-infrared region. The observed spectra revealed two components, scattered sunlight and thermal emission by dust particles. Color temperatures derived from intensities at 2.2 and 3.5 μm are close to the equilibrium temperature of a gray body with solar heating. Polarizations at 1.0 and 1.65 μm have been found to be ～15 to 20% and perpendicular to the tail direction. Properties of the dust particles in the comet are discussed in relation to these observations.     

Time–Latitudinal Development of the White-Light Coronal Structures over a Solar Cycle

Large-scale coronal structures (helmet streamers) observed in the white-light corona during total solar eclipses and/or with ground-based coronagraphs are mostly located only above quiescent types of prominences. These helmet streamers are maintained due to the magnetic fields of the Sun. Time–latitudinal distribution of prominences during a solar cycle, however, shows both the poleward and equatorward migrations, similar to the 530.3 nm emission corona (the green corona) intensities. Distribution of observed coronal helmet streamers during total solar eclipses, enlarged with the helmet streamers as were obtained by the ground-based coronagraph observations, are compared with the heliographic distribution of prominences and the green corona intensities for the first time. It is shown that the distribution of above-mentioned helmet streamers, reflects – roughly – the time–latitudinal distribution of prominences and emission corona branches, and migrates together with them over a solar cycle.     

Sodium In Comets

A great deal of attention has been given to the production and spatial distribution of sodium in comets after the discovery of the sodium tail, by Cremonese et al. (1997a), on Hale-Bopp. The sodium has been observed in several comets in the past, but the Hale-Bopp represent the first time where it will be deeply analyzed considering the several data and scientists working on that. The sodium tail stimulated different studies trying to explain the mechanism source and provided the new lifetime for photoionization of the neutral sodium atom. We took into account other sodium observations performed in this century and we focalized our attention to comet Hale-Bopp to understand the main sources responsible for the sodium features observed. We analyzed the sodium tail observations performed by Cremonese et al. (1997b) and Wilson et al. (1998) finding that the Hale-Bopp had four different tails. The wide field images and the high resolution spectroscopy performed along the sodium tail provided very important clues to distinguish the two sodium tails observed and their possible sources. Considering most of the data reported in several papers has been possible to draw a real sketch on what has occurred to the comet during March and April 1997. We are going to demonstrate that the sodium tail observed by Wilson et al. (1998) was not the same reportedby Cremonese et al. (1997a) and in the images taken by the European Hale-Bopp Team there were two distinct sodium tails. The observations allowed us to define “narrow sodium tail” the tail reported by Cremonese et al. (1997a), and “diffuse sodium tail” the tail overimposed to the dust tail. We suggest that the narrow sodium tail was due to a molecular process instead of the diffuse one due to the release of sodium atoms by the dust particles. Such a conclusion is supported by the spatial distribution of sodium on the nucleus and in the coma as reported from other authors. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The substructure in the heads of comets with type I and type II tails

On a number of Comet Halley 1910 photographs of short exposures (Helwan material) a substructure in dust emission in the inner coma becomes detectable. Narrow and diffuse dust streamers leave the nucleus area within a smaller or larger cone opened in the direction to the Sun. On plates with longer exposures these structures merge together in a parabolic envelope. Structures of the type I tail are not visible for lower heliocentric distances (r<1) in the inner coma; however, occasionally CN, C₂ eject circular emission areas.The present note represents a preliminary account of a larger publication which will contain a great number of details and also many photographic reproductions. The preparation of the latter will, however, take some time.