Comets and nongravitational forces. V

1973/03/01 by Brian G. Marsden, B. G. Marsden, Z. Sekanina +1 · 351 citations
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrobiology #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Celestial mechanics #Classical mechanics #Physics #Planetary Science and Exploration #Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies

paper · doi:10.1086/111402

published in The Astronomical Journal 78, 211 (Institute of Physics)

openalex publication_date 1973/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/26

Abstract

The problem of the variation of the nongravitational forces with heliocentric distance is considered. Calculations are presented for nine short-period and five long-period comets, the variation of the forces with distance being determined from a law based on the vaporization rate of water snow. Results obtained earlier are modified to conform to the new law, and the relative values of the forces on different comets are interpreted. The effect of emissivity of the cometary nucleus on the vaporization rate is also discussed. Particular attention is paid to the matter of deriving "original" and "future" orbits of long-period comets when nongravitational forces are taken into account.

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