Opportunities for the stratospheric collection of dust from short-period comets

摘要: We have identified four comets which produced low velocity Earth-crossing dust streams within the past century: 7P/Pons-Winnecke, 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup, 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, and 103P/Hartley 2. These rare characteristics of eccentricity, inclination orbits with nodes very close to 1 AU. Dust from these is directly injected into by radiation pressure, unlike great majority interplanetary particles collected in stratosphere spend millennia space prior Earth-encounter. Complete form a few decades, appreciable amounts are accreted Earth each year regardless positions parent comets. could be its short exposure age, as indicated abundances implanted solar wind noble gases and/or lack flare tracks. Grigg-Skjellerup probably has highest concentration at orbit. estimate that proportion this comet reaches least several percent background flux >40 micrometer size range during April 23-24 2003.