Mass and energy transport in sublimating cometary ice cracks

Journal Article · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Icarus (International Journal of the Solar System); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(91)90088-B· OSTI ID:5974699

Koemle, N I; Dettleff, G ^[1]

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1. Observatorium Lustbuehel, Graz (Austria) DLR, Institut fuer Experimentelle Stroemungsmechanik, Goettingen (Germany, F.R.)

A model is developed for the mass and energy transport characteristics of the gas in a rectangular crack of arbitrary depth and cross section on a cometary surface, under the assumptions that the gas sublimates from the walls according to the local ice temperature and that the molecules hitting the ice walls recondense there. The sublimation rate from an icy surface with many small pores is found to be virtually the same as in the case of a flat surface; the existence of a few larger holes which lead to the same total pore cross section, however, can drop the surface sublimation rate to 80 percent. Gaps will constitute a major emission source if an inward-increasing temperature profile occurs in the ice. An additional major factor is cooling by net sublimation from the ice walls. 15 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5974699
• Journal Information: Icarus (International Journal of the Solar System); (USA), Journal Name: Icarus (International Journal of the Solar System); (USA) Vol. 89; ISSN ICRSA; ISSN 0019-1035
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMETS
CRACKS
ENERGY TRANSFER
EVAPORATION
FLUID FLOW
GAS FLOW
HALLEY COMET
ICE
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOLECULES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POROUS MATERIALS
SUBLIMATION
SURFACE PROPERTIES