Related papers: Rotation dynamics and torque efficiency of cometar…
We extend an existing thermophysical activity model of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko to include pressure buildup inside the pebbles making up the nucleus. We test various quantities of H$_{2}$O and CO$_{2}$, in order to simulate the…
We present OSIRIS/NAC observations of decimetre-sized, likely ice-containing aggregates ejected from a confined region on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The images were obtained in January 2016 when the comet was at 2 AU…
We report on the first major temporal morphological changes observed on the surface of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, in the smooth terrains of the Imhotep region. We use images of the OSIRIS cameras onboard Rosetta to…
Comets are considered to be some of the most pristine and unprocessed solar system objects accessible to in-situ exploration. Investigating their molecular and elemental composition takes us on a journey back to the early period of our…
From August to November 2014 the Rosetta orbiter has performed an extensive observation campaign aimed at the characterization of 67P/CG nucleus properties and to the selection of the Philae landing site. The campaign led to the production…
Context. Comets are primitive objects, remnants of the volatile-rich planetesimals from which the solar system condensed. Knowing their structure and composition is thus crucial for the understanding of our origins. After the successful…
This paper presents a partial reconstruction of the rotational dynamics of the Philae spacecraft upon landing on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as part of ESA's Rosetta mission. We analyze the motion and the events triggered by the failure…
We introduce a parameter, X, to predict the changes in the rotational period of a comet in terms of the rotational period itself, the nuclear radius, and the orbital characteristics. We show that X should be a constant if the bulk densities…
Sublimating gas molecules scatter off of the surface of an icy body in the same manner as photons. This means that for every photon-driven body force, there should be a sublimation-driven analogue that affects icy bodies. Thermal photons…
Dust is an important constituent in cometary comae; its analysis is one of the major objectives of ESA's Rosetta mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (C-G). Several instruments aboard Rosetta are dedicated to studying various aspects…
One of the main aims of the ESA Rosetta mission is to study the origin of the solar system by exploring comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at close range. In this paper we discuss the origin and evolution of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in…
The phase function of the dust coma of comet 67P has been determined from Rosetta/OSIRIS images \citep{Bertini17}. This function show a deep minimum at phase angles near 100$^\circ$, and a strong backscattering enhancement. These two…
We present the most extensive catalog of exposures of volatiles on the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko nucleus generated from observations acquired with the OSIRIS cameras on board the Rosetta mission. We identified more than 600 volatile…
Far ultraviolet observations of comets yield information about the energetic processes that dissociate the sublimated gases from their primitive surfaces. Understanding which emission processes are dominant, their effects on the observed…
We here study the transfer process of material from one hemisphere to the other (deposition of airfall material) on an active comet nucleus, specifically 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Our goals are to: 1) quantify the thickness of the airfall…
We report on the detection of three icy cavities on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. They were identified on high-resolution anaglyphs built from images acquired by the OSIRIS instrument aboard the Rosetta spacecraft on 2016…
The Alice ultraviolet spectrograph on board the \textit{Rosetta} orbiter provided the first near-nucleus ultraviolet observations of a cometary coma from arrival at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014 August through 2016 September. The…
We present a study of the current state of knowledge concerning spacecraft operations and potential hazards while operating near a comet nucleus. Starting from simple calculations comparing the cometary coma environment to benign conditions…
We obtained broadband and narrowband images of the hyperactive comet 46P/Wirtanen on 33~nights during its 2018/2019 apparition, when the comet made an historic close approach to the Earth. With our extensive coverage, we investigated the…
We report Spitzer Space Telescope observations of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at 5.5 and 4.3 AU from the Sun, post-aphelion. Comet 67P is the primary target of the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission. The Rosetta spacecraft will…