European SL-9/Jupiter Workshop: February 13-15, 1995, ESO Headquarters, Garching bei Munchen, Germany : proceedings (ESO conference and workshop proceedings)

We investigated whether SL9's fragmented nuclei continued to supply dust particles to their comae after the fragmentation, in early July 1992. To solve the problem, we make a “burst model coma” which is not supplied with dust particles from the nuclei, and compare the nature of the model with observational results.

At first, we simulate the appearance of the burst model coma. The form of the burst model coma is not spherical, but very elongated, though SL9's fragmented nuclei had spherical comae. Furthermore, we calculate the varying of magnitude of the model coma. It is found that the magnitude measured by observation is very much brighter than the burst model coma. Since the characteristics of the burst model do not agree with the observations, SL9's fragmented nuclei supply dust particles to their comae.

In considering the size distributions in comae, we calculate the colours of the model coma. The particle size distribution in SL9's coma is gentler than s⁻² ds, comet Halley's particle size distribution. Some of SL9's particles would be produced by unusual means (i.e. refragmentation).