Published June 1982 | Version v1
Journal article

Formation of comets by radiation pressure in the outer protosun

Creators

  • 1. Theoretical Division, T-6, Mail Stop 288, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545

Description

The pressure due to the radiation from the Sun and neighboring protostars may have forced the coagulation into comets of the dust grains in the collapsing layers of the protosun at r = (1-5) x 103 AU. The grains were forced together by their self-shielding, which results in the radiation pressure due to photons coming from the direction of strong concentrations of dust being less than the pressure due to photons coming from a direction having a low concentration of dust. This causes the dust to drift toward regions of already strong dust concentration. The formation of comets under these conditions is consistent with the low rotation period of new comets and their extremely volatile chemical constituents

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astron. J.
Journal Volume
87
Journal Issue
6
Series
Astron. J.
Journal Page Range
906-910
ISSN
0004-6256

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
United States
INIS RN
13697754
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
COMETS; ORIGIN; PROTOSTARS; RADIATION PRESSURE