Dust measurements in the coma of comet 81P/Wild 2 by the Dust Flux Monitor Instrument

Science. 2004 Jun 18;304(5678):1776-80. doi: 10.1126/science.1098759.

Abstract

We present measurements of the dust particle flux and mass distribution from the Stardust Dust Flux Monitor Instrument (DFMI) throughout the flyby of comet 81P/Wild 2. In the particle mass regime from 10(-14) to 10(-7) kilograms, the spacecraft encountered regions of intense swarms of particles, together with bursts of activity corresponding to clouds of particles only a few hundred meters across. This fine-scale structure can be explained by particle fragmentation. We estimate that 2800 +/- 500 particles of diameter 15 micrometers or larger impacted the aerogel collectors, the largest being approximately 6 x 10(-7) kilograms, which dominates the total collected mass.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cosmic Dust*
  • Gases
  • Meteoroids*
  • Spacecraft

Substances

  • Cosmic Dust
  • Gases