THE 3-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE PLASMA TAIL OF COMET AUSTIN-1990-V

The development of the plasma tail of comet Austin 1990 V on four cons ecutive CCD-images on May 6 1990 (Bonev & Jockers 1994) looks striking ly similar to the results of timedependent three-dimensional MI-ID cal culations modeling the effect of a sudden rotation of the interplaneta ry magnetic field (IMF) by 90 degrees (Rauer et al. 1995). Assuming th at the changes in comet Austin's tail were in fact generated by a sudd en rotation of the IMF one can infer the three-dimensional structure o f the tail under stationary solar wind conditions. The results are dis cussed and compared with MHD models.