Dust-plasma interactions in the cometary environment

Abstract

Cometary dust, by virtue of being immersed in a plasma and UV radiative environment are necessarily electrically charged. This charging can lead to both physical and dynamical effects on the dust. On the other hand, the dust could have certain effects on the plasma as well as on the interplanetary magnetic field. These processes are discussed and the observations, both remote and in situ, which pertain to them are critically reviewed.