DOI: 10.1029/2004je002318. The dust mass distribution of comet 81P/Wild 2

The dust mass distribution of comet 81P/Wild 2

10.1029/2004je002318

Crossref journal-article

American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets (13)

Abstract

The Dust Flux Monitor Instrument (DFMI) made direct measurements of the dust environment in the mass range 10−14 < m < 10−5 kg at comet 81P/Wild 2 during the Stardust flyby on 2 January 2004. We describe the techniques for derivation of the particle mass distribution, including updated calibration for the acoustic subsystem. The dust coma is characterized by “swarms” and “bursts” of particles with large variations of flux on small spatial scales, which may be explained by jets and fragmentation. The mass of the dust coma is dominated by larger particles, as was found for comets 1P/Halley and 26P/Grigg‐Skjellerup. However, almost 80% of the particles were detected many minutes after closest approach at a distance of ∼4000 km, where small grains dominated the detected mass flux. The mass distribution varies on small spatial scales with location in the coma, consistent with the jets and fragmentation inferred from the highly heterogeneous dust spatial distribution. The cumulative mass distribution index α (where the number of particles of mass m or larger, N(m) ∝ m−α) in the coma ranges from 0.3 to 1.1. It is possible that jets and fragmentation occur in all comets but have not previously been well observed due to the limitations of detectors and flyby geometry. We estimate that 2800 ± 500 particles of diameter 15 μm or larger impacted the aerogel collectors, the largest being ∼6 × 10−7 kg (diameter ∼1 mm), which dominates the total collected mass. Of these, only 500 ± 200, representing just 3% of the collected mass, originated in the far postencounter region.

Bibliography

Green, S. F., McDonnell, J. A. M., McBride, N., Colwell, M. T. S. H., Tuzzolino, A. J., Economou, T. E., Tsou, P., Clark, B. C., & Brownlee, D. E. (2004). The dust mass distribution of comet 81P/Wild 2. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 109(E12). Portico.

Authors 9

S. F. Green (first)
J. A. M. McDonnell (additional)
N. McBride (additional)
M. T. S. H. Colwell (additional)
A. J. Tuzzolino (additional)
T. E. Economou (additional)
P. Tsou (additional)
B. C. Clark (additional)
D. E. Brownlee (additional)

References 26 Referenced 32

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Dates

Type	When
Created	20 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 22, 2004, 4:21 a.m.)
Deposited	1 year, 10 months ago (Oct. 12, 2023, 2:11 p.m.)
Indexed	3 weeks, 2 days ago (July 30, 2025, 6:26 a.m.)
Issued	20 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 1, 2004)
Published	20 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 1, 2004)
Published Online	20 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 22, 2004)
Published Print	20 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 1, 2004)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Green_2004, title={The dust mass distribution of comet 81P/Wild 2}, volume={109}, ISSN={0148-0227}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004je002318}, DOI={10.1029/2004je002318}, number={E12}, journal={Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets}, publisher={American Geophysical Union (AGU)}, author={Green, S. F. and McDonnell, J. A. M. and McBride, N. and Colwell, M. T. S. H. and Tuzzolino, A. J. and Economou, T. E. and Tsou, P. and Clark, B. C. and Brownlee, D. E.}, year={2004}, month=dec }

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  "abstract": "<jats:p>The Dust Flux Monitor Instrument (DFMI) made direct measurements of the dust environment in the mass range 10<jats:sup>\u221214</jats:sup> &lt; <jats:italic>m</jats:italic> &lt; 10<jats:sup>\u22125</jats:sup> kg at comet 81P/Wild 2 during the Stardust flyby on 2 January 2004. We describe the techniques for derivation of the particle mass distribution, including updated calibration for the acoustic subsystem. The dust coma is characterized by \u201cswarms\u201d and \u201cbursts\u201d of particles with large variations of flux on small spatial scales, which may be explained by jets and fragmentation. The mass of the dust coma is dominated by larger particles, as was found for comets 1P/Halley and 26P/Grigg\u2010Skjellerup. However, almost 80% of the particles were detected many minutes after closest approach at a distance of \u223c4000 km, where small grains dominated the detected mass flux. The mass distribution varies on small spatial scales with location in the coma, consistent with the jets and fragmentation inferred from the highly heterogeneous dust spatial distribution. The cumulative mass distribution index \u03b1 (where the number of particles of mass <jats:italic>m</jats:italic> or larger, <jats:italic>N</jats:italic>(<jats:italic>m</jats:italic>) \u221d <jats:italic>m</jats:italic><jats:sup>\u2212\u03b1</jats:sup>) in the coma ranges from 0.3 to 1.1. It is possible that jets and fragmentation occur in all comets but have not previously been well observed due to the limitations of detectors and flyby geometry. We estimate that 2800 \u00b1 500 particles of diameter 15 \u03bcm or larger impacted the aerogel collectors, the largest being \u223c6 \u00d7 10<jats:sup>\u22127</jats:sup> kg (diameter \u223c1 mm), which dominates the total collected mass. Of these, only 500 \u00b1 200, representing just 3% of the collected mass, originated in the far postencounter region.</jats:p>",
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