Densities and abundances of hot cometary ions in the coma of P/Halley

Details Densities and abundances of hot cometary ions in the coma of P/Halley Densities and abundances of hot cometary ions in the coma of P/Halley

May 1991

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1991apj...372..291n&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 372, May 1, 1991, p. 291-300. Research supported by SNSF and BMFT.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

19

Abundance, Comet Nuclei, Halley'S Comet, Ion Density (Concentration), Solar Wind, Astronomical Spectroscopy, Density Distribution, Giotto Mission, Plasma Density, Comets, Density, Abundance, Comae, Halley, Spacecraft Observations, Ions, Giotto Mission, Hers Instrument, Comparisons, Ionization, Data, Theoretical Studies, Carbonaceous Material, Hydrogen, Cometopause, Magnetic Effects, Boundaries, Solar Wind, Plasma, Equipment, Procedure, Photons

Scientific paper

The densities of the hot component in the ion population observed in the P/Halley coma by the ion mass spectrometer aboard the Giotto spacecraft has been recomputed, and the results are reported. Except for protons and H2(+), all densities are found to be at least an order of magnitude higher than predicted by the physicochemical model of Schmidt et al. (1988). These densities require ionization mechanisms in addition to, or stronger than, plasma compression. The change in the density of solar wind ions across a magnetic discontinuity located 135,000 km from the comet is barely distinguishable in the density profiles of hot cometary ions. This result is consistent with the interpretation that the magnetic pileup boundary detected by Giotto is due to a discontinuity in the solar wind.

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