Cometary gas and plasma flow with detailed chemistry

• Published in: Computer physics communications Vol. 49; no. 1; pp. 17 - 59
• Main Authors: Schmidt, H.U., Wegmann, R., Huebner, W.F., Boice, D.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.04.1988
• ISSN: 0010-4655; 1879-2944
• DOI: 10.1016/0010-4655(88)90214-7

This paper describes recent hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations for the gas and plasma flow around a comet with detailed photo and chemical reaction network of 59 neutral and 76 ionized chemical species. The method allows for a separate energy balance of the electrons, separate flow of neutral gas, fast neutral atomic and molecular hydrogen, and plasma with momentum exchange by elastic collisions, mass-loading of the plasma flow by ion pick-up, and Lorentz-forces of the advected magnetic field. The contact surface or magnetopause is resolved. The simulation is applied to comet Halley at the time of the Giotto encounter. The results can be compared with the data from the Giotto mission as they become available. The chemical composition of the nucleus can be inferred from these data by iteration.