Tag: dust microphysics
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Polarization of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS vs Solar System Comets: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction Polarimetric measurements are a powerful tool for diagnosing the microphysics of dust in cometary comae. Recent work by Z. Gray and colleagues reports extended polarimetric data for the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, offering a rare window into the dust composition and scattering behavior of an object that traverses interstellar space before entering the solar system.…
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Polarization Comparison: 3I/ATLAS Interstellar Comet vs Distant Solar System Comets
Overview: Polarimetric insights into 3I/ATLAS Recent measurements of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, reported by Z. Gray and colleagues, provide a unique window into the microphysics of dust in an extrasolar environment. By extending the polarimetric phase function over a broad range of phase angles, the study constrains the real part of the refractive index of…
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Polarization Parallels: Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS and Distant Solar System Comets
Overview Recent polarimetric measurements of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, as reported by Z. Gray and colleagues, offer a surprising parallel with distant solar system comets. The analysis indicates that the microphysical properties of dust in the coma of 3I/ATLAS are not demonstrably different from those of far-flung comets within our own solar system. This finding…