Model for cometary grains to explain optical polarization

Abstract: The observed optical polarizations for comets have been explained in past assuming cometary grains to be compact spheres, such that Mie theory could be applied to simulate the observed polarizations. However, recently other shapes like spheroids and then more realistic shapes like aggregates of monomers have been considered for cometary grains, to explain the observed polarizations. For this purpose T-matrix or DDA based light scattering technique was mostly used to simulate the observed polarizations. A number of authors have used T-matrix, DDA and various other techniques along with aggregate grain model to explain the polarizations of comets like 1P/Halley, C 1995/O1 Hale–Bopp, C/1990 K1 (Levy) and C/1996 B2 Hyakutake, etc. Recent STARDUST mission had suggested cometary grains to be mixtures of compact and porous aggregates. Accordingly, attempts have been made recently to reproduce the cometary polarization with mixtures of various compositions, shapes and porosity. The work presented here considers a model for cometary grains which contains (1) solid grains of pyroxene (silicate) and organic with various sizes of spheres, prolates and oblates and (2) aggregates with monomers of various sizes, with composition of pyroxene (silicate) and organic, having structures (shapes) defined by BCCA and BAM2 codes. It was found that the present model can explain the observed polarization data, especially the negative branch, for comet 1P/Halley at , more effectively as compared to other work done in past. Among the aggregates the BAM2 structure was found to play a key role, in deciding the cross-over angle and depth of negative polarization branch. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]