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The cause of two plasma-tail disconnection events in comet P/Haley during the ICE-Halley radial periodThe causes of two plasma-tail disconnection events (DEs), which occurred in Halley's comet on March 20-22 and April 11-12, 1986, during the ICE-Halley radial period, are analyzed using the ICE magnetometer and electron plasma data. It is concluded that the DE of March 20-22 was most likely caused by an IMF polarity reversal. The DE of April 11-12 on the other hand, is attributed to either a compression region in the solar wind, an IMF polarity reversal, or a combination of the two. Assuming that the two DEs are due to frontside reconnection after an IMF reversal, it was estimated that the time period between the onset of reconnection and the final disconnection of the tail is between 0.1 and 0.6 day, suggesting that the average speed at which reconnection proceeds through the cometary magnetic field pile-up region is between 1 and 6 km/sec, or several tenths of the local Alfven speed.
Document ID
19880036213
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Brosius, J. W.
(ST Systems Corp., Lanham, MD; NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Holman, G. D.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Niedner, M. B.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Brandt, J. C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Slavin, J. A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Smith, E. J.
(California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1987
Publication Information
Publication: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume: 187
Issue: 1-2
ISSN: 0004-6361
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
88A23440
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NASA ORDER S-04039-D
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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