On the mechanism of ray closure in comet tailsThe folding phenomenon of comet tail rays is explained by means of an electric drift due to convectional electric fields. This mechanism results in an angular rate of closure which reduces to that obtained by Ness and Donn (1966) if the velocity profile across the tail is linear and the plasma conductivity is ideal. Observations of both the ray closure and the disconnection events point to the phenomenon of anomalous resistivity. Magnetic fields of about 30-40 gammas in the coma and of 10 gammas in the distant tail (at 1 AU) are estimated from the MHD momentum equation.
Document ID
19820037327
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Ershkovich, A. I. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Greenbelt, MD; Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel)