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T.V. Losseva (Institute for Dynamics of Geospheres RAS), A.A. Gisko (Prokhorov Institute of General Physics RAS), S.I. Popel (Institute for Dynamics of Geospheres RAS), S.V. Vladimirov (School of Physics, University of Sydney)
The process of interaction of Solar wind with cometary coma is considered. The description is performed on the basis of a self-consistent model which takes into account solar radiation; dust particle charging; evaporation and formation of neutral particles; photoionization; electric fields; the evolution of Solar wind ions, cometary ions and dust particles; as well as the dust charge variation. It is shown that the presence of dust in cometary coma can modify shock wave formed as a result of Solar wind interaction with a comet. The outer shock wave (bow shock) can be considered as an ion acoustic shock wave modified by dust particle charging process. Possible formation of dust structures in the region of the interaction of Solar wind with cometary coma is discussed. The developed model allows us to determine the shock front structure. For large enough dust densities (exceeding 106 cm-3 near the comet nucleus) at the region of bow shock front dust particles acquiring positive variable charges influence drastically the structure of the shock front. Its width is in accordance with the theory of dust ion acoustic shocks [1, 2]. The work is supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grants No. 02-02-17369, 03-02-16664).
[1] S.I. Popel, M.Y. Yu, and V.N. Tsytovich, Phys. Plasmas 3, 4313 (1996).
[2] S.I. Popel, A.A. Gisko, A.P. Golub', and T.V. Losseva et al. Phys. Plasmas 7, 2410 (2000).
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35 #4
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.