On the folding phenomenon of comet tail rays

Abstract
The folding phenomenon of the comet tail rays is shown to be compatible with the Ferraro isorotation law if the comet tail magnetic field has no azimuthal component: Bφ = 0. Considering electric drift due to convectional electric fields one obtains a formula for the angular rate of a ray closure which reduces to that of Ness & Donn if the velocity profile across the tail is linear. The magnetic field B of about 20–40 γ in the coma and B ≲ 10 γ in the distant tail is estimated under typical solar wind conditions at 1 AU.