Abstract
During the occultation of a star by the inner coma region of a comet, specific forward-scattering effects could be observable if submillimeter size particles contribute significantly to the net extinction of star light. In this paper we investigate the possibility of detecting the signature of such particles by observing the dependence of extinction on the angular size of the acceptance aperture used at the focal plane of the telescope. Calculations based on a simple model assuming spherically-symmetric and homogeneous coma are presented.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Combes, M., Lecacheux, J., Encrenaz, T., Sicardy, B., Zean, Y., and Malaise, D.: 1983, Icarus 56, 229.
Desai, J. N. and Vaidya, D. B.: 1975, J. Colloid and Interface Sci. 52, 527.
Eaton, N., Davies, J. K., and Green, S. F.: 1984, Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 211, 15P.
Finson, M. L. and Probstein, R. F.: 1968, Astrophys. J. 154, 353.
Gumprecht, R. O. and Sliepcevich, C. M.: 1953, J. Phys. Chem. 57, 90.
Ney, E. P.: 1982, in L. L. Wilkening (ed.), Comets, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson.
Sekanina, Z.: 1974, Study of Comets, NASA SP-393.
Sekanina, Z.: 1982, Astron. J. 87, 161.
Taylor, G. E.: 1984, Astron. Astrophys. 135, 181.
Van de Hulst, H. C.: 1957, Light Scattering by Small Particles, John Wiley, New York.
Yeomans, D. K.: 1981, The Comet Halley Handbook: An Observer's Guide, NASA.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vaidya, D.B., Desai, J.N. Detection of submillimeter size particles in the inner coma of a comet through their forward scattering. Earth Moon Planet 35, 7–11 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00054130
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00054130