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Surface changes on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko suggest a more active past.
El-Maarry, M Ramy; Groussin, O; Thomas, N; Pajola, M; Auger, A-T; Davidsson, B; Hu, X; Hviid, S F; Knollenberg, J; Güttler, C; Tubiana, C; Fornasier, S; Feller, C; Hasselmann, P; Vincent, J-B; Sierks, H; Barbieri, C; Lamy, P; Rodrigo, R; Koschny, D; Keller, H U; Rickman, H; A'Hearn, M F; Barucci, M A; Bertaux, J-L; Bertini, I; Besse, S; Bodewits, D; Cremonese, G; Da Deppo, V; Debei, S; De Cecco, M; Deller, J; Deshapriya, J D P; Fulle, M; Gutierrez, P J; Hofmann, M; Ip, W-H; Jorda, L; Kovacs, G; Kramm, J-R; Kührt, E; Küppers, M; Lara, L M; Lazzarin, M; Lin, Z-Yi; Lopez Moreno, J J; Marchi, S; Marzari, F; Mottola, S.
Affiliation
  • El-Maarry MR; Physikalisches Institut, Universität Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland. mohamed.el-maarry@lasp.colorado.edu.
  • Groussin O; Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80301, USA.
  • Thomas N; Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, UMR 7326, 13388 Marseille, France.
  • Pajola M; Physikalisches Institut, Universität Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
  • Auger AT; NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
  • Davidsson B; Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, UMR 7326, 13388 Marseille, France.
  • Hu X; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
  • Hviid SF; Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
  • Knollenberg J; Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institut für Planetenforschung, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
  • Güttler C; Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institut für Planetenforschung, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
  • Tubiana C; Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
  • Fornasier S; Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
  • Feller C; LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UPMC Université Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Meudon Principal Cedex 92195, France.
  • Hasselmann P; LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UPMC Université Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Meudon Principal Cedex 92195, France.
  • Vincent JB; LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UPMC Université Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Meudon Principal Cedex 92195, France.
  • Sierks H; Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institut für Planetenforschung, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
  • Barbieri C; Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
  • Lamy P; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy.
  • Rodrigo R; Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, UMR 7326 CNRS & Université Aix-Marseille, 13388 Marseille Cedex 13, France.
  • Koschny D; Centro de Astrobiología, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.
  • Keller HU; International Space Science Institute, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
  • Rickman H; Operations Department, European Space Astronomy Centre/ESA, P.O. Box 78, 28691 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain.
  • A'Hearn MF; Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institut für Planetenforschung, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
  • Barucci MA; Institut für Geophysik und Extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
  • Bertaux JL; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden.
  • Bertini I; Polish Academy of Sciences, Space Research Center, 00716 Warsaw, Poland.
  • Besse S; Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
  • Bodewits D; LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UPMC Université Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Meudon Principal Cedex 92195, France.
  • Cremonese G; Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), CNRS-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines-Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, 78280 Guyancourt, France.
  • Da Deppo V; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy.
  • Debei S; Operations Department, European Space Astronomy Centre/ESA, P.O. Box 78, 28691 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain.
  • De Cecco M; Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
  • Deller J; Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy.
  • Deshapriya JD; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Unità Organizzativa di Supporto, Padova Luxor, 35131 Padova, Italy.
  • Fulle M; Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy.
  • Gutierrez PJ; University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy.
  • Hofmann M; Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
  • Ip WH; LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UPMC Université Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités, Meudon Principal Cedex 92195, France.
  • Jorda L; INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, 34014 Trieste, Italy.
  • Kovacs G; Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), c/ Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, 18008 Granada, Spain.
  • Kramm JR; Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
  • Kührt E; Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, Chung-Li 32054, Taiwan.
  • Küppers M; Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, UMR 7326, 13388 Marseille, France.
  • Lara LM; Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
  • Lazzarin M; Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
  • Lin ZY; Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institut für Planetenforschung, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
  • Lopez Moreno JJ; Operations Department, European Space Astronomy Centre/ESA, P.O. Box 78, 28691 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain.
  • Marchi S; Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), c/ Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, 18008 Granada, Spain.
  • Marzari F; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy.
  • Mottola S; Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, Chung-Li 32054, Taiwan.
Science ; 355(6332): 1392-1395, 2017 03 31.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28325842
The Rosetta spacecraft spent ~2 years orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, most of it at distances that allowed surface characterization and monitoring at submeter scales. From December 2014 to June 2016, numerous localized changes were observed, which we attribute to cometary-specific weathering, erosion, and transient events driven by exposure to sunlight and other processes. While the localized changes suggest compositional or physical heterogeneity, their scale has not resulted in substantial alterations to the comet's landscape. This suggests that most of the major landforms were created early in the comet's current orbital configuration. They may even date from earlier if the comet had a larger volatile inventory, particularly of CO or CO2 ices, or contained amorphous ice, which could have triggered activity at greater distances from the Sun.
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Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Language: En Journal: Science Year: 2017 Type: Article Affiliation country: Switzerland
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Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Language: En Journal: Science Year: 2017 Type: Article Affiliation country: Switzerland