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The generation of magnetic fields and electric currents in cometary plasma tailsDue to the folding of the interplanetary magnetic field into the tail as a comet sweeps through the interplanetary medium, the magnetic field in the tail can be built up to the order of 100 gammas at a heliocentric distance of about 1 AU. This folding of magnetic flux tubes also results in a cross-tail electric current passing through a neutral sheet. When streams of enhanced plasma density merge with the main tail, cross-tail currents as large as 1 billion A may result. A condition could arise which causes a significant fraction of this current to be discharged through the inner coma, resulting in rapid ionization. The typical time scale for such outbursts of ionization is estimated to be of the order of 10,000 sec, which is in reasonable agreement with observation.
Document ID
19760061647
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Ip, W.-H.
(California Univ. La Jolla, CA, United States)
Mendis, D. A.
(California, University La Jolla, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1976
Publication Information
Publication: Icarus
Volume: 29
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
76A44613
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: MPS-78-23501
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGR-05-009-110
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-7102
CONTRACT_GRANT: MPS-74-21195
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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