Dust Environment of 3I/ATLAS: Tail Morphology and Particle Dynamics

 



The dust environment of an interstellar comet encodes information about surface activity, particle properties, and ejection mechanisms.
For 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1), dust morphology and dynamics provide critical constraints on the nature of its cometary activity.

Full text (open access):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398431066

Imaging observations of 3I/ATLAS reveal a well-defined dust tail extending tens of arcseconds from the nucleus, indicative of sustained particulate emission rather than impulsive release. Analysis using classical dust-dynamical frameworks shows that the observed tail geometry is consistent with micron- to millimeter-sized grains responding to solar radiation pressure and gravity. The inferred onset of dust emission occurs well before perihelion, aligning with thermally driven activation rather than sudden fragmentation events.

Particle-dynamics modeling constrains both grain size distribution and ejection velocities. For 3I/ATLAS, relatively low dust production rates and modest ejection speeds suggest a dust-poor coma compared with highly active comets. This behavior is consistent with a nucleus characterized by limited active surface area or partial mantling, where dust is released gradually as sublimating volatiles entrain solid particles.

The dust environment of 3I/ATLAS situates it within a broader spectrum of cometary behavior. By linking tail morphology to physical parameters such as grain size, porosity, and release timing, dust-dynamical studies complement gas-production analyses and thermal modeling. As additional interstellar comets are observed, comparative dust environments will play a key role in understanding the diversity and evolution of extrasolar small bodies.

This article examines:

  • How dust tail morphology reflects particle dynamics
  • What grain size distributions reveal about surface activity
  • Why low dust production implies regulated mass loss
  • The role of dust studies in characterizing interstellar comets

Reference (APA 7):
Kodiyatar, N., & Shamala, A. (2025). Scientific understanding of 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1): Authentic data, observational insights, and information ethics. Nohil Kodiyatar & Abhay Shamala. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17851223

#InterstellarObjects #3IATLAS #CometDust #DustDynamics #PlanetaryScience #Astrophysics #ObservationalAstronomy #OpenScience

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