4 ms·

There wouldn't be a large gradient. But a big ball o' fluff presumably has essentially no internal cohesion; it's sort of like a liquid in that way. So even ver

There wouldn't be a large gradient. But a big ball o' fluff presumably has essentially no internal cohesion; it's sort of like a liquid in that way. So even very small gradient forces could be enough to disperse it.

ars 8y ago
So lets run the numbers: At Perihelion it was 38198320 km from the sun = an acceleration of 0.090962666582226 m/s^2 It's 1km long so on the other end the acceleration is 0.090962661819574 m/s^2 Subtract: .000000004762652 m/s^2 which is such a small amount I'm not sure how to put it into context. Multiply by 1 metric ton = 1/5 weight-force of a single snowflake on earth. Which means each metric ton of material needs to handle just that much force trying to separate it. i.e. it won't be ripped apart in the slightest. Over centuries it might elongate a bit (and it's already elongated).
- GlenTheMachine 8y ago
  Interesting. Thanks for the analysis. So, continuing this general line of thought: what's the largest tidal force it would have experienced? Differential solar pressure? Would it have encountered anything on its journey that should have dispersed it?
  - ars 8y ago
    > what's the largest tidal force it would have experienced? I have no idea of its past obviously, but near us this would be it, at closest approach to the sun the tidal force is greatest. > Differential solar pressure? Solar pressure is very low, it just applies that force for a very long time. It would act to compress it (flatten it), slightly. But I don't know what orientation it had when approaching the sun. It could have been tumbling and randomized any force. > Would it have encountered anything on its journey that should have dispersed it? Vaporization from heating is the only thing energetic enough that I can think of. But maybe other people can think of other things.

4 ms·

There wouldn't be a large gradient. But a big ball o' fluff presumably has essentially no internal cohesion; it's sort of like a liquid in that way. So even ver

by GlenTheMachine 8y ago

ars 8y ago
So lets run the numbers: At Perihelion it was 38198320 km from the sun = an acceleration of 0.090962666582226 m/s^2 It's 1km long so on the other end the acceleration is 0.090962661819574 m/s^2 Subtract: .000000004762652 m/s^2 which is such a small amount I'm not sure how to put it into context. Multiply by 1 metric ton = 1/5 weight-force of a single snowflake on earth. Which means each metric ton of material needs to handle just that much force trying to separate it. i.e. it won't be ripped apart in the slightest. Over centuries it might elongate a bit (and it's already elongated).
- GlenTheMachine 8y ago
  Interesting. Thanks for the analysis. So, continuing this general line of thought: what's the largest tidal force it would have experienced? Differential solar pressure? Would it have encountered anything on its journey that should have dispersed it?
  - ars 8y ago
    > what's the largest tidal force it would have experienced? I have no idea of its past obviously, but near us this would be it, at closest approach to the sun the tidal force is greatest. > Differential solar pressure? Solar pressure is very low, it just applies that force for a very long time. It would act to compress it (flatten it), slightly. But I don't know what orientation it had when approaching the sun. It could have been tumbling and randomized any force. > Would it have encountered anything on its journey that should have dispersed it? Vaporization from heating is the only thing energetic enough that I can think of. But maybe other people can think of other things.