Solar wind interaction with the tail of Comet Kohoutek

Details Solar wind interaction with the tail of Comet Kohoutek Solar wind interaction with the tail of Comet Kohoutek

Mar 1976

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1976p%26ss...24..287e&link_type=abstract

Planetary and Space Science, vol. 24, Mar. 1976, p. 287-291.

Physics

13

Comet Tails, Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability, Kohoutek Comet, Plasma Interactions, Solar Wind, Interplanetary Magnetic Fields, Magnetohydrodynamic Waves, Phase Velocity, Plasma Cylinders, Solar Wind Velocity, Wave Dispersion

Scientific paper

Helical waves of large amplitude observed recently in the tail of Comet Kohoutek are interpreted as stable waves arising due to nonlinear evolution of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The dispersion equation for waves of a finite amplitude shows that the phase velocity of these waves should approximately coincide with the velocity of the plasma outflow in the tail rather than with the Alfven velocity. This fact is shown to be in agreement with observations. One may estimate the magnetic field in the Comet Kohoutek tail from both the amplitude of observed helical waves and the pressure balance at the tail boundary. The field turns out to be of the order of the interplanetary magnetic field or less, i.e., not greater than 25 gamma near 0.5 AU.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Solar wind interaction with the tail of Comet Kohoutek does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Solar wind interaction with the tail of Comet Kohoutek, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Solar wind interaction with the tail of Comet Kohoutek will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1220769