The root of a comet tail - Rosetta ion observations at comet 67P/Churyumov--Gerasimenko

TL;DR

This study uses Rosetta's ion and magnetic field data to analyze the dynamics of cometary and solar wind ions in the tail of comet 67P, revealing the electric field influences on ion flow and solar wind deflection.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed in situ analysis of the near-nucleus ion tail dynamics and electric field effects at comet 67P during a single night-side excursion.

Findings

Cometary ions flow radially away from the nucleus.

Solar wind is deflected by interaction with cometary ions.

Electric fields from ions, electrons, and magnetic draping explain ion flow patterns.

Abstract

The first 1000 km of the ion tail of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko were explored by the European Rosetta spacecraft, 2.7 au away from the Sun. We characterised the dynamics of both the solar wind and the cometary ions on the night-side of the comet's atmosphere. We analysed in situ ion and magnetic field measurements and compared the data to a semi-analytical model. The cometary ions are observed flowing close to radially away from the nucleus during the entire excursion. The solar wind is deflected by its interaction with the new-born cometary ions. Two concentric regions appear, an inner region dominated by the expanding cometary ions and an outer region dominated by the solar wind particles. The single night-side excursion operated by Rosetta revealed that the near radial flow of the cometary ions can be explained by the combined action of three different electric field components, resulting from the ion motion, the electron pressure gradients, and the magnetic field draping. The observed solar wind deflection is governed mostly by the motional electric field.