Post-perihelion brightening of Halley's Comet: A case of nuclear summer

Details Post-perihelion brightening of Halley's Comet: A case of nuclear summer Post-perihelion brightening of Halley's Comet: A case of nuclear summer

Dec 1986

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1986esasp.250c.517w&link_type=abstract

In ESA, Proceedings of the 20th ESLAB Symposium on the Exploration of Halley's Comet. Volume 3: Posters p 517-522 (SEE N87-26714

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Astronomical Models, Brightness Distribution, Comet Nuclei, Halley'S Comet, Insolation, Cracking (Fracturing), Perihelions, Solar Heating, Thermal Conductivity, Thermal Stresses

Scientific paper

Increased brightness and gas production rates for Halley's comet after perihelion can be explained as a result of seasonal effects on an obliquely rotating nucleus. The highly eccentric cometary orbit causes a rapid change in solar declination as the comet rounds perihelion, resulting in drastic changes in the insolation reaching the northern and southern hemispheres of the nucleus. The rapid heating of the northern hemisphere post-perihelion likely results in substantial cracking of the non-volatile surface crust due to thermal stresses, exposing areas of fresh volatile ices. The orientation of the triaxial ellipsoid nucleus may also play a role in exposing more surface area to continuous sunlight and sublimation after perihelion. Post-perihelion brightening models based on heat flow and storage in sub-surface layers of the nucleus pre-perihelion are likely not viable because of the low thermal conductivities of porous, low density cometary surface materials.

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