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Disintegration of comet nuclei


Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya str. 84/32, Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation

The breaking up of comets into separate pieces, each with its own tail, was seen many times by astronomers of the past. The phenomenon was in sharp contrast to the idea of the eternal and unchangeable celestial firmament and was commonly believed to be an omen of impending disaster, especially for comets with tails stretching across half the sky. It is only now that we have efficient enough space exploration tools to see comet nuclei and even — in the particular case of small comet Hartley-2 in 2010 — to watch their disintegration stage. There are also other suspected candidates for disintegration in the vast family of comet nuclei and other Solar System bodies.

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Fulltext is also available at DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.0182.201202c.0147
PACS: 96.25.−f, 96.30.Cw, 96.30.Ys (all)
DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.0182.201202c.0147
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2012/2/b/
000304186400002
2-s2.0-84862091624
2012PhyU...55..137K
Citation: Ksanfomality L V "Disintegration of comet nuclei" Phys. Usp. 55 137–146 (2012)
BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS) MedlineRefWorks
PT Journal Article
TI Disintegration of comet nuclei
AU Ksanfomality L V
FAU Ksanfomality LV
DP 10 Feb, 2012
TA Phys. Usp.
VI 55
IP 2
PG 137-146
RX 10.3367/UFNe.0182.201202c.0147
URL https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2012/2/b/
SO Phys. Usp. 2012 Feb 10;55(2):137-146

Received: 9th, February 2011, revised: 10th, May 2011, 15th, July 2011

Оригинал: Ксанфомалити Л В «Разрушение ядер комет» УФН 182 147–156 (2012); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0182.201202c.0147

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