[meteorite-list] Effects of travel through space on comets?

[E.P. Grondine]

Hi all - 

I was just wondering if any of you have given any
thought to this - 

While we generally think of space as a vacuum, in fact
it is not.  There are "dust" particles (some of them
chonrdules?), and if I remember correctly, about 1
molecule of hydrogen per cubic meter - 

Now at normal speeds, this would be a vacuum.  But
comets don't travel at "normal" speeds.  I am reminded
of the swimmer who dives from too high a height - the
water becomes awful hard.  

I wonder if drag might change a comet's debris stream,
putting larger pieces at the head, and smaller pieces
at the end?


good hunting,
Ed





 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
http://new.mail.yahoo.com