Search Publications

Giant ripples on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko sculpted by sunset thermal wind

Jia, Pan; Andreotti, Bruno; Claudin, Philippe

Explaining the unexpected presence of dune-like patterns at the surface of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko requires conceptual and quantitative advances in the understanding of surface and outgassing processes. We show here that vapor flow emitted by the comet around its perihelion spreads laterally in a surface layer, due to the strong pressu…