Dynamics of Cometary Environments

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

AST 0098582 Gombosi Drs. Tamas Gombosi and Michael Combi, at the University of Michigan, will continue a comet modeling project that is unique in that it addresses the full range of cometary coma phenomena with state-of-the-art numerical simulation codes. These investigators have experience in applying these codes directly to the analysis of observations. Further development of the models will benefit from the rapid expansion in capabilities of computers and high performance algorithms enabling multi-dimensional simulation techniques to be applied. The long term goal for this project is the development and application of a multi-scale, self-consistent comprehensive model of atmospheres of comets, extending from the complex 3-D nucleus to tens of millions of kilometers into the outer coma and tail. ***