plasma tail
Quick Summary
A plasma tail, also known as a Type I tail, is one of two tails that can form around a comet. This tail is composed of ionized molecules and radicals that are released from the comet's coma. These ions interact with the solar wind and the Sun's magnetic field, causing them to flow away from the Sun at high speeds, typically exceeding 400 km per second.1
The plasma tail points almost directly away from the Sun because the solar wind's velocity is much greater than the orbital velocities of most comets. These tails often appear blue due to the presence of CO+ molecules, though H2O+ is the major ion. Occasionally, a comet's plasma tail can disconnect and fade, with a new one forming, which can happen when the comet crosses magnetic sector boundaries in the Sun's field.1
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
cometGeneral considerationsThe ion tail forms from the volatile gases in the coma when they are ionized by ultraviolet photons from the Sun and blown away by the solar wind. Ion tails point almost exactly away from the Sun and glow bluish in colour because of the presenceā¦
Read MoreThe ion tail forms from the volatile gases in the coma when they are ionized by ultraviolet photons from the Sun and blown away by the solar wind. Ion tails point almost exactly away from the Sun and glow bluish in colour because of the presenceā¦
Read More- cometSpacecraft exploration of comets
ā¦targeted to pass through the ion tail of the comet, about 7,800 km (4,800 miles) behind the nucleus at a relative velocity of 21 km (13 miles) per second, and returned the first in situ measurements of the magnetic field, plasma, and energetic particle environment inside a cometās tail. Thoseā¦
Read Moreā¦targeted to pass through the ion tail of the comet, about 7,800 km (4,800 miles) behind the nucleus at a relative velocity of 21 km (13 miles) per second, and returned the first in situ measurements of the magnetic field, plasma, and energetic particle environment inside a cometās tail. Thoseā¦
Read More - cometTails
The ion or plasma tails are known as Type I tails.
Read MoreThe ion or plasma tails are known as Type I tails.
Read More