Physics and Chemistry of Comets

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XVI

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2. Introduction

   • Walter F. Huebner

   Pages 1-12

3. The Nucleus

   • H. Uwe Keller

   Pages 13-68

4. The Neutral Coma

   • Michael F. A’Hearn, Michel C. Festou

   Pages 69-112

5. Dust

   • Eberhard Grün, Elmar K. Jessberger

   Pages 113-176

6. The Plasma

   • Wing-H. Ip, W. Ian Axford

   Pages 177-233

7. Orbital Distribution of Comets

   • Jan H. Oort

   Pages 235-244

8. Comet Formation and Evolution

   • Hans Rickman, Walter F. Huebner

   Pages 245-303

9. Implications of Comet Research

   • Walter F. Huebner, Christopher P. McKay

   Pages 305-331

10. Back Matter

    Pages 333-376

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As this excellent book demonstrates, the study of comets has now reached the fas­ cinating stage where we understand comets in general simple tenns while, at the same time, we are uncertain about practically all the details of cometary nature, structure, processes, and origin. In every aspect, even including dynamics, a choice among several or many competing theories is made impossible simply by the lack of detailed knowledge. The space missions, snapshot studies of two comets, partic­ ularly the one that immortalizes the name of Sir Edmund Halley, have produced a huge mass of valuable new infonnation and a number of surprises. Nonetheless, we face the tantalizing realization that we have obtained only a fleeting glance at two of perhaps a hundred billion (lOll) or more comets with possibly differing natures, origins, and physical histories. To my personal satisfaction, comets seem to have discrete nuclei made up of dirty snowballs, as I concluded four decades ago, but perhaps they are more like frozen rubbish piles.

• chemistry
• evolution
• geophysics
• planet
• planetary science
• space physics

• Div. 15, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, USA

  Walter F. Huebner

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