Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Nov 1987
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987a%26a...187..873w&link_type=abstract
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol.187, NO. 1+2/NOV, P. 873, 1987
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
26
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 nonvolatile 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-peribelion are likely not viable because of the low thermal conductivities of porous, low density cometary surface materials.
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