Soft X-Rays From Four Comets Observed With [ITAL]EUVE[/ITAL]

Abstract

EUVE observations of X-ray production rates, brightness distributions, and brightness maximum offsets from nuclei in four comets are compared with gas and dust production rates in those comets. This comparison favors charge transfer of solar wind heavy ions to cometary neutrals as a dominant process for X-ray excitation. © 1997. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.