Time variability and heterogeneity in the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Hässig, Myrtha; Altwegg, Kathrin; Balsiger, Hans; Bar-Nun, A.; Berthelier, J. J.; Bieler, André; Bochsler, Peter; Briois, C.; Calmonte, Ursina Maria; Combi, M.; De Keyser, J.; Eberhardt, Peter; Fiethe, B.; Fuselier, S. A.; Galand, M.; Gasc, Sébastien; Gombosi, T. I.; Hansen, K. C.; Jäckel, Annette; Keller, H. U.; ... (2015). Time variability and heterogeneity in the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Science, 347(6220), aaa0276-aaa0276. American Association for the Advancement of Science 10.1126/science.aaa0276

Text aaa0276.full.pdf - Published Version Restricted to registered users only Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (1MB)

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 composition of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko with well-sampled time resolution per rotation. Measurements were made over many comet rotation periods and a wide range of latitudes. These measurements show large fluctuations in composition in a heterogeneous coma that has diurnal and possibly seasonal variations in the major outgassing species: water, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. These results indicate a complex coma-nucleus relationship where seasonal variations may be driven by temperature differences just below the comet surface.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

2 since deposited on 10 Jun 2016
0 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item