Abstract Strong interplanetary scintillations (IPS) of the quasar 2314+03 were recorded at 103 MHz at Thaltej-Ahmedabad, India with a transit type correlation interferometer on 18, 19 and 20 December 1985, as the radio source was predicted to be occulted by the ion tail of the comet Halley. On 18th through 20th very strong scintillations, with periodicities of 1 sec average were observed, their amplitude progressively decreasing as the source approached the tail-end. The rms variations of scintillating flux of the source on 18, 19 & 20 were about 18, 11 & 4.7 Jy, as against 3.3 Jy on control days 17 and 21 December for solar elongation of 87°. Assuming Gaussian irregularities with weak scattering, the rms density variations, ΔN, of 10, 6, 3 and 1 elec./cm3 on 18 through 21 December, from the comet nucleus towards its tail-end, varied as (ΔN) ∝ r −3.3 as against (ΔN) ∝ r −2 in the solar plasma. Quasi-periodic modulations of the enhanced scintillating flux possibly imply 104 km scale-size ion condensations and mean electron density of 103 to 104 electrons/cm3 in the Halley's plasma tail.


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    Title :

    Interplanetary scintillations of PKS 2314+03 during occultation by comet Halley


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 5 , 12 ; 297-300


    Publication date :

    1985-01-01


    Size :

    4 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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