Search Publications
On the nucleus structure and activity of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Bertaux, Jean-Loup; Da Deppo, Vania; Naletto, Giampiero +63 more
Images from the OSIRIS scientific imaging system onboard Rosetta show that the nucleus of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko consists of two lobes connected by a short neck. The nucleus has a bulk density less than half that of water. Activity at a distance from the Sun of >3 astronomical units is predominantly from the neck, where jets have been seen c…
Dust measurements in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko inbound to the Sun
Accolla, Mario; Altobelli, Nicolas; Bertaux, Jean-Loup +78 more
Critical measurements for understanding accretion and the dust/gas ratio in the solar nebula, where planets were forming 4.5 billion years ago, are being obtained by the GIADA (Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator) experiment on the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Between 3.6 and 3.4 astro…
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, a Jupiter family comet with a high D/H ratio
Wurz, P.; Bochsler, P.; Altwegg, K. +29 more
The provenance of water and organic compounds on Earth and other terrestrial planets has been discussed for a long time without reaching a consensus. One of the best means to distinguish between different scenarios is by determining the deuterium-to-hydrogen (D/H) ratios in the reservoirs for comets and Earth’s oceans. Here, we report the direct i…
The organic-rich surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as seen by VIRTIS/Rosetta
Langevin, Y.; Bellucci, G.; Jaumann, R. +75 more
The VIRTIS (Visible, Infrared and Thermal Imaging Spectrometer) instrument on board the Rosetta spacecraft has provided evidence of carbon-bearing compounds on the nucleus of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The very low reflectance of the nucleus (normal albedo of 0.060 ± 0.003 at 0.55 micrometers), the spectral slopes in visible and infrared…
Organic compounds on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko revealed by COSAC mass spectrometry
Krüger, Harald; McKenna-Lawlor, Susan; Gautier, Thomas +18 more
Comets harbor the most pristine material in our solar system in the form of ice, dust, silicates, and refractory organic material with some interstellar heritage. The evolved gas analyzer Cometary Sampling and Composition (COSAC) experiment aboard Rosetta’s Philae lander was designed for in situ analysis of organic molecules on comet 67P/Churyumov…
Molecular nitrogen in comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko indicates a low formation temperature
Wurz, P.; Bochsler, P.; Altwegg, K. +29 more
Molecular nitrogen (N2) is thought to have been the most abundant form of nitrogen in the protosolar nebula. It is the main N-bearing molecule in the atmospheres of Pluto and Triton and probably the main nitrogen reservoir from which the giant planets formed. Yet in comets, often considered the most primitive bodies in the solar system,…
The landing(s) of Philae and inferences about comet surface mechanical properties
Auster, Hans-Ulrich; Heinisch, Philip; Güttler, Carsten +30 more
The Philae lander, part of the Rosetta mission to investigate comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, was delivered to the cometary surface in November 2014. Here we report the precise circumstances of the multiple landings of Philae, including the bouncing trajectory and rebound parameters, based on engineering data in conjunction with operational instr…
Properties of the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko interior revealed by CONSERT radar
Elachi, Charles; Sierks, Holger; Nielsen, Erling +23 more
The Philae lander provides a unique opportunity to investigate the internal structure of a comet nucleus, providing information about its formation and evolution in the early solar system. We present Comet Nucleus Sounding Experiment by Radiowave Transmission (CONSERT) measurements of the interior of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. From the propa…
The morphological diversity of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Bertaux, Jean-Loup; Da Deppo, Vania; Naletto, Giampiero +56 more
Images of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko acquired by the OSIRIS (Optical, Spectroscopic and Infrared Remote Imaging System) imaging system onboard the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft at scales of better than 0.8 meter per pixel show a wide variety of different structures and textures. The data show the importance of airfall, surface du…
Time variability and heterogeneity in the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Wurz, P.; Bochsler, P.; Altwegg, K. +33 more
Comets contain the best-preserved material from the beginning of our planetary system. Their nuclei and comae composition reveal clues about physical and chemical conditions during the early solar system when comets formed. ROSINA (Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis) onboard the Rosetta spacecraft has measured the coma compo…