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The composition and plasma signature of a large dust impact on the Giotto spacecraftAt about 14,800 km from the Comet Halley nucleus, on the inbound leg, at least six of the sensors onboard the Giotto spacecraft observed an unusual, brief (about 30 to 500 ms) event: the ion-mass spectrometer data show a brief flow of energetic (up to several hundred electron volts) plasma consisting of protons, water group, and heavier ions. The Johnstone plasma analyzer data show a short burst of plasma, while the dust impact detector system data show an impact event in four of its detectors. The magnetometer signature of the event shows two brief dips in the field. The sudden change in the spacecraft attitude and spin rate observed by the camera at that same time has been interpreted as the result of a large (5 mg or more) dust-particle impact on the front bumper shield of the spacecraft. In addition, at about the same time the spacecraft star-tracker suffered damage. The report combines direct measurements of the composition and dynamics of a dust-impact plasma cloud, the dust particle mass, and the location of the impact on the spacecraft. Analysis of the data indicate that the impacting particle was water or ice-bearing, possibly loosely compared, and was composed of one or more of: carbon, nitrogen, and silicon.
Document ID
19910062741
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Goldstein, R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Goldstein, B. E.
(JPL Pasadena, CA, United States)
Balsiger, H.
(Bern, Universitaet Switzerland)
Coates, A. J.
(London, University College, Dorking, United Kingdom)
Curdt, W.
(Max-Planck-Institut fuer Aeronomie Katlenburg-Lindau, Federal Republic of Germany, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 96
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
91A47364
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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