Rosetta’s comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko sheds its dusty mantle to reveal its icy nature | Zendy

S. Fornasier | Zendy; S. Mottola | Zendy; H. U. Keller | Zendy; M. A. Barucci | Zendy; B. Davidsson | Zendy; C. Feller | Zendy; J. D. P. Deshapriya | Zendy; H. Sierks | Zendy; C. Barbieri | Zendy; P. Lamy | Zendy; R. Rodrigo | Zendy; D. Koschny | Zendy; H. Rickman | Zendy; Michael F. A’Hearn | Zendy; Jessica Agarwal | Zendy; JeanLoup Bertaux | Zendy; Ivano Bertini | Zendy; S. Besse | Zendy; G. Cremonese | Zendy; V. Da Deppo | Zendy; S. Debei | Zendy; M. De Cecco | Zendy; J. Deller | Zendy; M. R. ElMaarry | Zendy; M. Fulle | Zendy; O. Groussin | Zendy; P. J. Gutiérrez | Zendy; C. Güttler | Zendy; M. Hofmann | Zendy; S. F. Hviid | Zendy; W.-H. Ip | Zendy; L. Jordá | Zendy; J. Knollenberg | Zendy; Gábor Kovács | Zendy; R. Kramm | Zendy; E. Kührt | Zendy; M. Küppers | Zendy; L. M. Lara | Zendy; M. Lazzarin | Zendy; J. J. LópezMoreno | Zendy; F. Marzari | Zendy; Matteo Massironi | Zendy; G. Naletto | Zendy; N. Oklay | Zendy; M. Pajola | Zendy; A. Pommerol | Zendy; Frank Preusker | Zendy; F. Scholten | Zendy; Xian Shi | Zendy; N. Thomas | Zendy; I. Tóth | Zendy; C. Tubiana | Zendy; JeanBaptiste Vincent | Zendy

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Rosetta’s comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko sheds its dusty mantle to reveal its icy nature

Author(s) -

S. Fornasier,

S. Mottola,

H. U. Keller,

M. A. Barucci,

B. Davidsson,

C. Feller,

J. D. P. Deshapriya,

H. Sierks,

C. Barbieri,

P. Lamy,

R. Rodrigo,

D. Koschny,

H. Rickman,

Michael F. A’Hearn,

Jessica Agarwal,

JeanLoup Bertaux,

Ivano Bertini,

S. Besse,

G. Cremonese,

V. Da Deppo,

S. Debei,

M. De Cecco,

J. Deller,

M. R. ElMaarry,

M. Fulle,

O. Groussin,

P. J. Gutiérrez,

C. Güttler,

M. Hofmann,

S. F. Hviid,

W.-H. Ip,

L. Jordá,

J. Knollenberg,

Gábor Kovács,

R. Kramm,

E. Kührt,

M. Küppers,

L. M. Lara,

M. Lazzarin,

J. J. LópezMoreno,

F. Marzari,

Matteo Massironi,

G. Naletto,

N. Oklay,

M. Pajola,

A. Pommerol,

Frank Preusker,

F. Scholten,

Xian Shi,

N. Thomas,

I. Tóth,

C. Tubiana,

JeanBaptiste Vincent

Publication year - 2016

Publication title -

science

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 12.556

H-Index - 1186

eISSN - 1095-9203

pISSN - 0036-8075

DOI - 10.1126/science.aag2671

Subject(s) - comet , comet nucleus , astrobiology , water ice , comet dust , physics , mantle (geology) , astrophysics , geology , solar system , astronomy , geophysics , interplanetary dust cloud

The Rosetta spacecraft has investigated comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from large heliocentric distances to its perihelion passage and beyond. We trace the seasonal and diurnal evolution of the colors of the 67P nucleus, finding changes driven by sublimation and recondensation of water ice. The whole nucleus became relatively bluer near perihelion, as increasing activity removed the surface dust, implying that water ice is widespread underneath the surface. We identified large (1500 square meters) ice-rich patches appearing and then vanishing in about 10 days, indicating small-scale heterogeneities on the nucleus. Thin frosts sublimating in a few minutes are observed close to receding shadows, and rapid variations in color are seen on extended areas close to the terminator. These cyclic processes are widespread and lead to continuously, slightly varying surface properties.

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