Probing Coronal Magnetic Fields with Sungrazing Comets: \hi\ Ly$\alpha$ from Pickup Ions

TL;DR

This paper uses numerical simulations of sungrazing comets' Ly$ extalpha$ emissions to probe the solar corona's plasma properties and understand comet-solar wind interactions, matching some observations but highlighting remaining discrepancies.

Contribution

It introduces a model of Ly$ extalpha$ emission from sungrazing comets assuming radial magnetic fields and solar wind, explaining observed tail structures and velocity shifts.

Findings

Models qualitatively reproduce observed tail split and velocity shifts.

Higher outgassing rates are needed to match observed light curves.

Discrepancies remain between models and detailed observations.

Abstract

Observations of sungrazing comets can be used to probe the solar corona, to study the composition of the comets, and to investigate the plasma processes that govern the interaction between the coronal plasma and cometary gas. UVCS observations of the intensities and line profiles of \hi\ Ly$\alpha$ trace the density, temperature and outflow speed of the corona. Analysis of \hi\ Ly$\alpha$ observations of comet C/2002 S2 showed a surprising split in the comet's Ly$\alpha$ tail and an asymmetry of red-shifted and blue-shifted emission across the tail axis. It was suggested that the velocity structure might result from a population of neutrals produced by charge transfer between pickup ions and cometary neutrals. Here we present numerical simulations of the \hi\ Ly$\alpha$ intensity and velocity centroid for sungrazing comets under the assumption that the magnetic field and solar wind are radial. The models qualitatively reproduce the observations of Comet C/2002 S2 and potentially explain the split tail morphology that was seen in C/2002 S2 and also C/2001 C2. They also match the observed red- and blue-shifts, though the solar wind velocity needed to explain the blue-shift implies strong Doppler dimming and requires a higher outgassing rate to match the light curve. However, the models do not match the observations in detail, and we discuss the remaining discrepancies and the uncertainties in the model. We briefly discuss the implications for other UVCS comet observations and sungrazing comet observations with the Metis coronagraph.