Comet Giacobini-Zinner - In situ observations of energetic heavy ions

Details Comet Giacobini-Zinner - In situ observations of energetic heavy ions Comet Giacobini-Zinner - In situ observations of energetic heavy ions

Apr 1986

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1986sci...232..366i&link_type=abstract

Science (ISSN 0036-8075), vol. 232, April 18, 1986, p. 366-369.

Physics

82

Energetic Particles, Giacobini-Zinner Comet, Heavy Ions, Angular Distribution, Flux (Rate), Particle Energy, Solar Wind, Comets, Giacobini-Zinner, Ice Mission, Mission Description, Comet Tails, Spacecraft Observations, Comae, Solar Wind, Interaction, Atmosphere, Ultra Low Energy Charge Analyzer, Uleca, Ions, Flux, Distribution, Mass, Distance, Isotropy, Velocity, Particles, Ionization, Production Rate, Scattering, Energy, Acceleration, Heating, Density, Transport, Models

Scientific paper

Conclusive evidence is presented for the existence of heavy energetic, singly charged cometary ions within 1.5 million km of comet Giacobini-Zinner. The most direct evidence for establishing the mass of these ions was obtained from an analysis of the energy signals in one of the solid state detector on board the International Cometary Explorer. Maximum fluxes were recorded approximately one hour before and after closest approach to the cometary nucleus. Transformation of the particle angular distribution observed at approximately 50,000 km radial distance from the comet, during the inbound pass into a rest frame in which the distributions are nearly isotropic, requires a transformation velocity that is consistent with the local solar wind velocity (assuming these particles are primarily singly ionized with a mass of 18 + or - 6 amu). It is implied that these water-group ions underwent strong pitch angle scattering subsequent to ionization and that they were accelerated or heated. The derived ion density, approximately 0.1/cu cm, is consistent with a crude model for the production and transport of pickup ions.

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