T-Shaped Nucleus Investigation

The nucleus surrounding Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) is not spherical, but rather T-shaped.

This is a rare phenomenon observed in other comets, but not frequently.

(Examples include C/2002 O6 (SWAN) and C/2021A1 (Leonard)).

The T-shape is apparently the result of an anisotropic mass loss process, in which gas release from the nucleus causes uneven erosion of the surface.

This causes irregular gas ejection from weaker areas of the surface, and uneven erosion occurs due to factors such as the nucleus's rotation and surface collapse.

This likely leads to the formation of a T- or Y-shaped nucleus.

Reasons for uneven nucleus erosion include:

- When two comets slowly merge, the nucleus becomes T-shaped, resulting in anisotropic mass loss.

- The hardness of the comet's surface is uneven, resulting in anisotropic mass loss.

- Professor Watanabe of Niigata University believes that some of the T-shapes may be rubble pile stars.

This is what I found.

Recently, AI has been able to automatically suggest various candidates, which makes it easy, but I'm also left feeling unsure about whether that's all there is to it.

C/2021A1 (Leonard) photographed by Watanabe