On the Flux of Water and Minor Volatiles from the Surface of Comet Nuclei

Computer Science

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Comets, Ices, Energy Balance, Molecular Flux

Scientific paper

Surface temperature and the available effective energy strongly influence the mass flux of H2O and minor volatiles from the nucleus. We perform computer simulations to model the gas flux from volatile, icy components in porous ice-dust surfaces, in order to better understand results from observations of comets. Our model assumes a porous body containing dust, one major ice component (H2O) and up to eight minor components of higher volatility (e.g. CO, CH4, CH3OH, HCN, C2H2, H2S), The body's porous structure is modeled as a bundle of tubes with a given tortuosity and an initially constant pore diameter. Heat is conducted by the matrix and carried by the vapors. The model includes radially inward and outward flowing vapor within the body, escape of outward flowing gas from the body, complete depletion of less volatile ices in outer layers, and recondensation of vapor in deeper, cooler layers. From the calculations we obtain temperature profiles and changes in relative chemical abundances, porosity and pore size distribution as a function of depth, and the gas flux into the interior and into the atmosphere for each of the volatiles at various positions of the body in its orbit.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

On the Flux of Water and Minor Volatiles from the Surface of Comet Nuclei 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 On the Flux of Water and Minor Volatiles from the Surface of Comet Nuclei, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and On the Flux of Water and Minor Volatiles from the Surface of Comet Nuclei will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1546272

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.