2007/05/22 by Himadri Sekhar Das, H. S. Das, Das, H. S. +2
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Atmospheric Ozone and Climate #FOS: Physical sciences #Planetary Science and Exploration #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0705.3208
6 pages, 2 figures, 2 Tables
arxiv created 2007/05/22 · openalex publication_date 2007/05/22 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In the present work, the non-spherical dust grain characteristics of comet Hale-Bopp are studied using the T-matrix method and the modified power law distribution function. It is found that the observed data fits very well with the power index (α) = - 3. The best fit values of complex refractive index (n, k) and the aspect ratio (E) at α= - 3 are calculated to be (1.382, 0.035, 0.936) and (1.379, 0.041,0.936) at λ= 0.485 μm and 0.684μm respectively. Kerola & Larson (K-L) analysed the same comet using the T-matrix method and the power law distribution function (α= -3), and found that the prolate grains can explain the observed polarization in a more satisfactory manner as compared to the other shapes. But their analysis could not reproduce the negative polarization branch beyond scattering angle 1570. However, the results obtained from the present work successfully generate the expected negative polarization curve beyond 1570 and the fitting in this case is much better than K-L's work. So it is concluded from the present study that the use of modified power law distribution function (with α= - 3) can fit the observed data in a better way, as compared to the power law distribution function used by previous authors.