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Oscillations of cometary tails : a vortex shedding phenomenon?

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Nisticò, G., Vladimirov, V., Nakariakov, V. M. (Valery M.), Battams, K. and Bothmer, V. (2018) Oscillations of cometary tails : a vortex shedding phenomenon? Astronomy & Astrophysics, 615 . A143. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201732474 ISSN 0004-6361.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201732474

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Abstract

Context

During their journey to perihelion, comets may appear in the field of view of space-borne optical instruments, showing in some cases a nicely developed plasma tail extending from their coma and exhibiting an oscillatory behaviour.

Aims

The oscillations of cometary tails may be explained in terms of vortex shedding because of the interaction of the comet with the solar wind streams. Therefore, it is possible to exploit these oscillations in order to infer the value of the Strouhal number S t, which quantifies the vortex shedding phenomenon, and the physical properties of the local medium.

Methods

We used the Heliospheric Imager (HI) data of the Solar TErrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) mission to study the oscillations of the tails of comets 2P/Encke and C/2012 S1 (ISON) during their perihelion in Nov 2013. We determined the corresponding Strouhal numbers from the estimates of the halo size, the relative speed of the solar wind flow, and the period of the oscillations.

Results

We found that the estimated Strouhal numbers are very small, and the typical value of S t ~ 0.2 would be extrapolated for size of the halo larger than ~106 km.

Conclusions

Although the vortex shedding phenomenon has not been unambiguously revealed, the findings suggest that some kind of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instability process is responsible for the observed behaviour of cometary tails, which can be exploited for probing the physical conditions of the near-Sun region.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions: Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Solar wind, Comets
Journal or Publication Title: Astronomy & Astrophysics
Publisher: EDP Sciences
ISSN: 0004-6361
Official Date: July 2018
Dates:
DateEvent
July 2018Published
6 August 2018Available
29 March 2018Accepted
Volume: 615
Article Number: A143
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201732474
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Reuse Statement (publisher, data, author rights): Reproduced with permission from Astronomy & Astrophysics, © ESO
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Copyright Holders: ESO
Date of first compliant deposit: 9 August 2018
Date of first compliant Open Access: 9 August 2018
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
UNSPECIFIEDUniversity of Warwickhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000741
50OL1601Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrthttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002946
ST/P000320/1[STFC] Science and Technology Facilities Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000271
Sungrazer Project[NASA] National Aeronautics and Space Administrationhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000104

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