CAOSP abstracts, Volume: 22, year: 1992
- Author(s): ZVOLANKOVA, J.; PITTICH, E.M.; MIRMAKHMUDOV, E.R.
- Journal: Contributions of the Astronomical Observatory Skalnate Pleso,
vol. 22, p. 187-192.
- Date: 07/1992
- Title: Plasma tail of comet P/Brorsen-Metcalf 1989 X
- Keyword(s): COMETS, SOLAR WIND
- Pages: 187 -- 192
Abstract:
A set of four large-scale exposures of comet P/Brorsen-Metcalf 1989 X
between 1989 August 29 and September 3 is evaluated. The observations were
obtained with the 40/300 cm Zeiss double astrograph of the International
Latitude Station, Kitab, Uzbek Republic. The studied plasma tail is narrow and
longer than 3 degr. with visible plasma kinks, rays, and disconnections events.
For this period the solar wind velocity is determined from the aberration angle
of the plasma tail. Its radial component had about 210 km/s, tangential
component 0.5 km/s, in the comet's environment: 0.5 AU above the ecliptic plane
at a heliocentric distance of 0.6 AU, in the direction of 29-49 degr of the
ecliptical longitude. The tree plasma kinks visible on the 1989 August 29
exposures moved from the nucleus at a radial velocity of about 17 km/s and a
tangential velocity of about 5 km/s.
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