Statistical Analysis of Comet Disconnection Events Using STEREO HI and a Data-assimilative Solar Wind Model
Comets tails can reveal information about the local solar wind conditions. They can exhibit various signatures of interactions with the solar wind including bending, developing kinks, and sometimes undergoing tail disconnections. In this study, we investigate comet tail disconnection events observed...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb978 |
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| author | Sarah Watson Chris Scott Mathew Owens Luke Barnard Matthew Lang |
| author_facet | Sarah Watson Chris Scott Mathew Owens Luke Barnard Matthew Lang |
| author_sort | Sarah Watson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Comets tails can reveal information about the local solar wind conditions. They can exhibit various signatures of interactions with the solar wind including bending, developing kinks, and sometimes undergoing tail disconnections. In this study, we investigate comet tail disconnection events observed in the STEREO HI data during the period of 2007–2023. Using the Heliospheric Upwind eXtrapolation model with a time-dependency (HUXt) solar wind model alongside novel solar wind data assimilation (DA) techniques, each disconnection event was investigated to determine its cause. The resulting statistical analysis led to three main conclusions: (1) for every heliospheric current sheet (HCS) crossing predicted by HUXt that occurs when the comet is within the region of influence of DA, a tail disconnection follows; (2) for HCS crossings that occur outside the region where DA can be applied, 54.5% are followed by a tail disconnection; and (3) there is an approximately linear relationship between the speed of the solar wind at the HCS crossing and the time delay to the onset of a disconnection given by the equation V _rel (km s ^−1 ) = (2.23 ± 0.35)Δ t (hr) + (400 ± 10)(km s ^−1 ). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9fa50ab946d4e3cbbf61b1a59b65a06 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
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| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9fa50ab946d4e3cbbf61b1a59b65a062025-08-20T03:42:55ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198226610.3847/1538-4357/adb978Statistical Analysis of Comet Disconnection Events Using STEREO HI and a Data-assimilative Solar Wind ModelSarah Watson0https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6566-6281Chris Scott1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6411-5649Mathew Owens2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2061-2453Luke Barnard3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9876-4612Matthew Lang4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1904-3700University of Reading, Whiteknights House , Reading RG6 6UR, UK ; s.r.watson@pgr.reading.ac.ukUniversity of Reading, Whiteknights House , Reading RG6 6UR, UK ; s.r.watson@pgr.reading.ac.ukUniversity of Reading, Whiteknights House , Reading RG6 6UR, UK ; s.r.watson@pgr.reading.ac.ukUniversity of Reading, Whiteknights House , Reading RG6 6UR, UK ; s.r.watson@pgr.reading.ac.ukBritish Antarctic Survey, Cambridge , CB3 0ET, UKComets tails can reveal information about the local solar wind conditions. They can exhibit various signatures of interactions with the solar wind including bending, developing kinks, and sometimes undergoing tail disconnections. In this study, we investigate comet tail disconnection events observed in the STEREO HI data during the period of 2007–2023. Using the Heliospheric Upwind eXtrapolation model with a time-dependency (HUXt) solar wind model alongside novel solar wind data assimilation (DA) techniques, each disconnection event was investigated to determine its cause. The resulting statistical analysis led to three main conclusions: (1) for every heliospheric current sheet (HCS) crossing predicted by HUXt that occurs when the comet is within the region of influence of DA, a tail disconnection follows; (2) for HCS crossings that occur outside the region where DA can be applied, 54.5% are followed by a tail disconnection; and (3) there is an approximately linear relationship between the speed of the solar wind at the HCS crossing and the time delay to the onset of a disconnection given by the equation V _rel (km s ^−1 ) = (2.23 ± 0.35)Δ t (hr) + (400 ± 10)(km s ^−1 ).https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb978Comet tailsSolar wind |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Watson Chris Scott Mathew Owens Luke Barnard Matthew Lang Statistical Analysis of Comet Disconnection Events Using STEREO HI and a Data-assimilative Solar Wind Model The Astrophysical Journal Comet tails Solar wind |
| title | Statistical Analysis of Comet Disconnection Events Using STEREO HI and a Data-assimilative Solar Wind Model |
| title_full | Statistical Analysis of Comet Disconnection Events Using STEREO HI and a Data-assimilative Solar Wind Model |
| title_fullStr | Statistical Analysis of Comet Disconnection Events Using STEREO HI and a Data-assimilative Solar Wind Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Statistical Analysis of Comet Disconnection Events Using STEREO HI and a Data-assimilative Solar Wind Model |
| title_short | Statistical Analysis of Comet Disconnection Events Using STEREO HI and a Data-assimilative Solar Wind Model |
| title_sort | statistical analysis of comet disconnection events using stereo hi and a data assimilative solar wind model |
| topic | Comet tails Solar wind |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb978 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahwatson statisticalanalysisofcometdisconnectioneventsusingstereohiandadataassimilativesolarwindmodel AT chrisscott statisticalanalysisofcometdisconnectioneventsusingstereohiandadataassimilativesolarwindmodel AT mathewowens statisticalanalysisofcometdisconnectioneventsusingstereohiandadataassimilativesolarwindmodel AT lukebarnard statisticalanalysisofcometdisconnectioneventsusingstereohiandadataassimilativesolarwindmodel AT matthewlang statisticalanalysisofcometdisconnectioneventsusingstereohiandadataassimilativesolarwindmodel |