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Influence of the magnetic field on the density distribution of solar wind protons and cometary ions in the shock layer ahead of cometary ionospheres

Baranov, V. B.; Alexashov, D. B.

The "mass loading" of the solar wind by cometary ions produced by the photoionization of neutral molecules outflowing from the cometary nucleus plays a major role in the interaction of the solar wind with cometary atmospheres. In particular, this process leads to a decrease in the solar wind velocity with a transition from supersonic velocities to…