A MECHANISM FOR FORMING DEEP CRACKS IN COMETS

Authors
JENNISKENS P BLAKE DF
Citation
P. Jenniskens et Df. Blake, A MECHANISM FOR FORMING DEEP CRACKS IN COMETS, Planetary and space science, 44(7), 1996, pp. 711-713
Citations number
35
Categorie Soggetti
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Journal title
Planetary and space science → ACNP
ISSN journal
00320633
Volume
44
Issue
7
Year of publication
1996
Pages
711 - 713
Database
ISI
SICI code
0032-0633(1996)44:7<711:AMFFDC>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
A low temperature structural change in amorphous water ice, the high d ensity to low density amorphous transition, is proposed as a mechanism for the formation of deep cracks in cometary nuclei. Such cracks are proposed to underlie active vents in the cometary crust and to play a role in the splitting of cometary nuclei.