Transport and Distribution of Hydroxyl Radicals and Oxygen Atoms from H2O Photodissociation in the Inner Coma of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko

Abstract

With a combination of the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) calculation and test particle computation, the ballistic transport process of the hydroxyl radicals and oxygen atoms produced by photodissociation of water molecules in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko is modelled. We discuss the key elements and essential features of such simulations which results can be compared with the remote-sensing and in situ measurements of cometary gas coma from the Rosetta mission at different orbital phases of this comet.