ESA Science & Technology - The Dependence of the Circumnuclear Coma Structure on the Properties of the Nucleus.

Publication date: 01 March 1999

Authors: Crifo, J.F. et al.

Journal: Icarus
Volume: 138
Issue: 1
Page: pp. 85-106
Year: 1999

Copyright: Academic Press

III. First Modeling of a CO-Dominated Coma, with Application to Comets 46 P/Wirtanen and 29 P/Schwassmann-Wachmann I

We present the first gasdynamic simulations of the coma formed by the diffusion from a comet nucleus interior of a volatile molecule at large heliocentic distance. The method used is a generalization of that described in J. F. Crifo et al. (1995, Icarus 116, 77-112). The molecule is assumed to be CO.