An alternate interpretation of the Oort cloud of comets?
Abstract
Despite the drastic dimming of a comet upon its first passage past the sun, a sample of both old and new comets, in Oort's sense, reveals no statistically significant difference between old and new comets with respect to properties such as absolute brightness, change in brightness with distance from sun, light curve symmetry, or prevalence of continuous spectra and tails. The author suggests that possibly a sufficiently long stay in the outskirts of the solar system enables an 'old' comet to recover some of its original properties and become rejuvenated. Three possible mechanisms of rejuvenation are possible: (1) accretion of a new active cover from outside, (2) replacement of the lost surface layer by a transport of active material from inside, and (3) destruction of an insulating crust formed on the surface of a deep, more volatile layer during the first application.
- Publication:
-
IAU Colloq. 39: Comets, Asteroids, Meteorites: Interrelations, Evolution and Origins
- Pub Date:
- 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977cami.coll...93K
- Keywords:
-
- Brightness;
- Comets;
- Hydrogen Clouds;
- Oort Cloud;
- Aphelions;
- Orbital Elements;
- Orbital Mechanics;
- Perihelions;
- Astronomy;
- Comets:Oort's Cloud