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RPC-LAP: The Rosetta Langmuir Probe Instrument
Wahlund, J. -E.; André, M.; Jansson, S. -E. +10 more
The Rosetta dual Langmuir probe instrument, LAP, utilizes the multiple powers of a pair of spherical Langmuir probes for measurements of basic plasma parameters with the aim of providing detailed knowledge of the outgassing, ionization, and subsequent plasma processes around the Rosetta target comet. The fundamental plasma properties to be studied…
RPC-IES: The Ion and Electron Sensor of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium
Winningham, J. D.; Young, D. T.; Goldstein, R. +5 more
The ion and electron sensor (IES) is part of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium (RPC). The IES consists of two electrostatic plasma analyzers, one each for ions and electrons, which share a common entrance aperture. Each analyzer covers an energy/charge range from 1 eV/e to 22 keV/e with a resolution of 4%. Electrostatic deflection is used at the entra…
RPC-MIP: the Mutual Impedance Probe of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium
Schmidt, W.; Eriksson, A.; Décréau, P. M. E. +18 more
The main objective of the Mutual Impedance Probe (MIP), part of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium (RPC), is to measure the electron density and temperature of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko’s coma, in particular inside the contact surface. Furthermore, MIP will determine the bulk velocity of the ionised outflowing atmosphere, define the spectral dist…
RPC-ICA: The Ion Composition Analyzer of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium
Kallio, E.; Fedorov, A.; Koskinen, H. +9 more
The Ion Composition Analyzer (ICA) is part of the Rosetta Plasma Consortium (RPC). ICA is designed to measure the three-dimensional distribution function of positive ions in order to study the interaction between the solar wind and cometary particles. The instrument has a mass resolution high enough to resolve the major species such as protons, he…
The Comet Nucleus Sounding Experiment by Radiowave Transmission (CONSERT): A Short Description of the Instrument and of the Commissioning Stages
Plettemeier, D.; Picardi, G.; Elachi, C. +12 more
The primary scientific goal of the CONSERT experiment on the Rosetta space mission is to investigate the deep interior of the nucleus of comet 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This will be achieved through the use of long wavelength radio-waves, transmitted from the orbiter and returned from the lander. In this overview, a description of the instrument…
Cosac, The Cometary Sampling and Composition Experiment on Philae
Szopa, Cyril; Roll, Reinhard; Goesmann, Fred +7 more
Comets are thought to preserve the most pristine material currently present in the solar system, as they are formed by agglomeration of dust particles in the solar nebula, far from the Sun, and their interiors have remained cold. By approaching the Sun, volatile components and dust particles are released forming the cometary coma. During the phase…
A Portrait of the Nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Toth, Imre; Lamy, Philippe L.; Gutiérrez, Pedro +5 more
In 2003, comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko was selected as the new target of the Rosetta mission as the most suitable alternative to the original target, comet 46P/Wirtanen, on the basis of orbital considerations even though very little was known about the physical properties of its nucleus. In a matter of a few years and based on highly focused obs…
The Plasma Environment of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Throughout the Rosetta Main Mission
Alexander, C.; Combi, M. R.; Gombosi, T. I. +6 more
The plasma environment of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the Rosetta mission target comet, is explored over a range of heliocentric distances throughout the mission: 3.25 AU (Rosetta instruments on), 2.7 AU (Lander down), 2.0 AU, and 1.3 AU (perihelion). Because of the large range of gas production rates, we have used both a fluid-based magnetoh…
Alice: The rosetta Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph
Parker, Joel Wm.; Stern, S. A.; Feldman, P. D. +8 more
We describe the design, performance and scientific objectives of the NASA-funded ALICE instrument aboard the ESA Rosetta asteroid flyby/comet rendezvous mission. ALICE is a lightweight, low-power, and low-cost imaging spectrograph optimized for cometary far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectroscopy. It will be the first UV spectrograph to study a comet at cl…
The Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator (GIADA) Experiment for the Rosetta Mission: Design, Performances and First Results
Fulle, M.; Rodriguez, J.; Colangeli, L. +13 more
The Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator (GIADA) onboard the ROSETTA mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko is devoted to study the cometary dust environment. Thanks to the rendezvous configuration of the mission, GIADA will be plunged in the dust environment of the coma and will be able to explore dust flux evolution and grain dynamic p…