SP-345 Evolution of the Solar
System
FIGURE 6.9.1.-The capture of a grain
by a jet stream. The shaded area represents the jet stream. The orbit
of a gram (thick curve) intersects the jet stream at a. Collisions lead to
fragmentation and fragments are ejected mainly in orbits like 2, but
some fragments may move in orbits like 1 or 3. All these orbits carry
them back to the point a. Subsequent collision at a may lead to
further fragmentation, but, if the collisions are at least partly
inelastic, the final result is that all the fragments will be
captured by the jet stream.
- Back -