Abstract On September 11, 1985 the International Cometary Explorer (ICE) traversed the tail of Comet Giacobini-Zinner to provide the only in situ information on the physical structure and characteristics of a comet tail. ICE passed 7800 km behind the nucleus, where it clearly detected a draped two-lobe magnetic field configuration and a narrow central plasma sheet. Throughout the tail and inner sheath region, the ICE instruments gave complete information on variations in the vector B-field configuration, the electron distribution function, the energetic ion population, and the electromagnetic and electrostatic plasma wave spectrum. These direct observations supply a framework to test theoretical models of comet tail formation.


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    Title :

    Characteristics of the tail of comet Giacobini-Zinner


    Contributors:
    Scarf, F.L. (author)

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1986-01-01


    Size :

    8 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    The plasma regime at comet Giacobini-Zinner

    Ogilvie, Keith W. | Elsevier | 1985




    Energetic ion observations during comet Giacobini-Zinner encounter

    Hynds, R.J. / Cowley, S.W.H. / Richardson, I.G. et al. | Elsevier | 1985