Comet-solar wind interaction through ion-proton beam instability

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/165921· OSTI ID:5293546

Price, C P; Lee, L C

The acceleration of cometary ions in the distant cometary tail by an electromagnetic beam instability, which is caused by the relative drift velocity between the cometary ions and solar protons is studied. The linear phase of the instability is analyzed by numerical evaluation of the Vlasov dispersion relation. A particle simulation is used to study the nonlinear phase of the instability. Right-hand polarized cyclotron waves are made unstable by the presence of ion beams. The cometary tail ions are accelerated mainly during the reduced-growth phase of the instability. The cyclotron waves cause momentum transfer from solar wind protons to cometary tail ions. The acceleration of cometary ions through the electromagnetic beam instability is found to be 500-5000 cm/s-squared. 35 references.

• Research Organization: Maryland Univ., College Park (USA); Alaska Univ., Fairbanks (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5293546
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 324; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
BARYONS
BEAMS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
CHARGED PARTICLES
COMETS
CYCLOTRON RADIATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
INSTABILITY
INTERACTIONS
IONS
MOMENTUM TRANSFER
NOISE
NUCLEON BEAMS
NUCLEONS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PROTON BEAMS
PROTONS
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR PARTICLES
SOLAR PROTONS
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLAR WIND
STELLAR RADIATION
WHISTLERS