Abstract
Measurements made by the three-dimensional electron spectrometer of the RPA-Copernic experiment aboard the Giotto spacecraft give a preliminary description of the complex interaction between comet Halley and the solar wind. As Giotto approached the comet, it traversed several regions of differing plasma characteristics: a large (∼107 km) upstream region, a foreshock, a bow wave with its apex at ∼4×105 km, a transition region, a region permanently and strongly contaminated by cometary ions, a collisionopause at a sub-solar distance of ∼5−6×104 km, and various inner regions up to the inner coma, including a region of depleted hot plasma.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Rème, H. et al. Eur. Space Ag. spec. Publ. 1077, 33–52 (1986).
Carlson, C. W., Curtis, D. W., Paschmann, G. & Michael, W. Adv. Space Res. 2, 67–70 (1982).
Mendis, D. A. et al. Geophys. Res. Lett. 13, 239–242 (1986).
Bame, S. J. et al. Geophys. Res. Lett. 13, 356–361 (1986).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rème, H., Sauvaud, J., d'Uston, C. et al. Comet Halley–solar wind interaction from electron measurements aboard Giotto. Nature 321 (Suppl 6067), 349–352 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/321349a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/321349a0
This article is cited by
-
Modeled Interaction of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko with the Solar Wind Inside 2 AU
Earth, Moon, and Planets (2015)
-
Disconnection Events Processes in Cometary Tails
Earth, Moon, and Planets (2005)
-
Comets
The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review (1993)
-
Carbon suboxide in comet Halley?
Nature (1991)
-
Negative ions in the coma of comet Halley
Nature (1991)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
