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…
Inventory of the volatiles on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from Rosetta/ROSINA
De Keyser, Johan; Gombosi, Tamas I.; Berthelier, Jean-Jacques +15 more
Context. The ESA Rosetta spacecraft (S/C) is tracking comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in close vicinity. This prolonged encounter enables studying the evolution of the volatile coma composition.
Aims: Our work aims at comparing the diversity of the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at large heliocentric distance to study the evolution of the …
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…
Abundant molecular oxygen in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Wurz, P.; Bochsler, P.; Altwegg, K. +30 more
The composition of the neutral gas comas of most comets is dominated by H2O, CO and CO2, typically comprising as much as 95 per cent of the total gas density. In addition, cometary comas have been found to contain a rich array of other molecules, including sulfuric compounds and complex hydrocarbons. Molecular oxygen (O2…
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…
Spectrophotometric properties of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from the OSIRIS instrument onboard the ROSETTA spacecraft
Jorda, L.; Lamy, P. L.; Bertaux, J. -L. +51 more
Context. The Rosetta mission of the European Space Agency has been orbiting the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P) since August 2014 and is now in its escort phase. A large complement of scientific experiments designed to complete the most detailed study of a comet ever attempted are onboard Rosetta.
Aims: We present results for the photom…
Shape model, reference system definition, and cartographic mapping standards for comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko - Stereo-photogrammetric analysis of Rosetta/OSIRIS image data
Jorda, L.; Lara, L. M.; Bertaux, J. -L. +42 more
We analyzed more than 200 OSIRIS NAC images with a pixel scale of 0.9-2.4 m/pixel of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P) that have been acquired from onboard the Rosetta spacecraft in August and September 2014 using stereo-photogrammetric methods (SPG). We derived improved spacecraft position and pointing data for the OSIRIS images and a high-re…
Insolation, erosion, and morphology of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Jorda, L.; Lara, L. M.; Bertaux, J. -L. +44 more
Context. The complex shape of comet 67P and its oblique rotation axis cause pronounced seasonal effects. Irradiation and hence activity vary strongly.
Aims: We investigate the insolation of the cometary surface in order to predict the sublimation of water ice. The strongly varying erosion levels are correlated with the topography and morpholo…