Resonant interactions between cometary ions and low frequency electromagnetic waves
We explore the conditions for resonance between cometary pick-up ions and parallel propagating electromagnetic waves. A model ring—beam distribution for the pick-up H2O+ ions is adopted which allows a direct comparison of the source of free energy for growth from either the beam or the gyrating ring in the limit near marginal stability. Under average solar wind conditions in the inner solar system, the gyrating ring provides the dominant contribution to wave growth. The presence of a field-aligned beam is only important to allow resonance with R-mode waves which occur in two distinct frequency bands either well above or below the pick-up ion gyrofrequency. The most unstable mode is the low frequency R-mode or fast MHD wave, though higher frequency whistlers or low frequency L-mode waves may also be excited by the same source of free energy. The nature of the unstable waves is strongly influenced by the inclination α of the interplanetary field. For α ≲ 3° the rate of the low frequency R-mode growth is dramatically reduced and resonant L-mode waves should experience net ion beam damping. Conversely for α ≳ 75°, the ion beam velocity will be insufficient to allow resonant R-mode instability; L-mode waves should therefore predominate. The low frequency fast MHD mode should experience the most rapid amplification for intermediate inclination; 30° ≲ α ≲ 75°. In the frame of the solar wind such waves must propagate along the field in the direction upstream towards the Sun with a phase speed lower than the beaming velocity of the pick-up ions. The waves are consequently blown back away from the Sun and would thus be detected with a left-hand polarization by an observer in the cometary frame. We consider this the most likely mechanism to account for the interior MHD waves observed by satellites over an extended spatial region surrounding comets Giacobini-Zinner and Halley.