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Interpretation of the Continuous Spectra of Comets
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  • Letter
  • Published: 28 January 1967

Interpretation of the Continuous Spectra of Comets

  • B. DONN1,
  • R. S. POWELL2 na1 &
  • L. REMY-BATTIAU3 

Nature volume 213, page 379 (1967)Cite this article

  • 371 Accesses

  • 16 Citations

  • Metrics details

Abstract

COMETARY dust, as well as being one of the basic features of comets, is of importance in several major problems of the solar system: it is most nearly representative of solid particles in the primordial solar nebula1; it is a contributor to zodiacal light2; and, although Harwit3 has questioned its effectiveness, it plays some part in processes in interplanetary space4. Information concerning the nature of the dust can be obtained at present only by an analysis of scattered sunlight in the heads and tails of comets.

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References

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Author information

Author notes
  1. R. S. POWELL: Supported in part by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

    B. DONN

  2. Melpar Incorporated, Falls Church, Virginia

    R. S. POWELL

  3. Institute d'Astrophysique, Université de Liège, Cointe-Sclessin, Belgium

    L. REMY-BATTIAU

Authors
  1. B. DONN
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  2. R. S. POWELL
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  3. L. REMY-BATTIAU
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Cite this article

DONN, B., POWELL, R. & REMY-BATTIAU, L. Interpretation of the Continuous Spectra of Comets. Nature 213, 379 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/213379a0

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  • Received: 09 December 1966

  • Issue date: 28 January 1967

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/213379a0

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This article is cited by

  • The dust grains in the coma of Comet West

    • K. S. Krishna Swamy
    • G. A. Shah

    Earth, Moon, and Planets (1987)

  • Polarimetry of comets: A review

    • O. V. Dobrovolsky
    • N. N. Kiselev
    • G. P. Chernova

    Earth, Moon and Planets (1986)

  • On the observed polarization of comet Ikeya-Seki (1965 VIII)

    • K. S. Krishna Swamy

    Astrophysics and Space Science (1978)

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