1. Fractures on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko observed by Rosetta/OSIRIS
- Author
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El-Maarry, M. R., Thomas, N., Gracia-Berna, A., Marschall, R., Auger, A. -T., Groussin, O., Mottola, S., Pajola, M., Massironi, M., Marchi, S., Hofner, S., Preusker, F., Scholten, F., Jorda, L., Kuhrt, E., Keller, H. U., Sierks, H., A'Hearn, M. F., Barbieri, C., Barucci, M. A., Bertaux, J. -L., Bertini, I., Cremonese, G., Da Deppo, V., Davidsson, B., Debei, S., De Cecco, M., Deller, J., Guttler, C., Fornasier, S., Fulle, M., Gutierrez, P. J., Hofmann, M., Hviid, S. F., W. -H., Ip, Knollenberg, J., Koschny, D., Kovacs, G., Kramm, J. -R., Kuppers, M., Lamy, P. L., Lara, L. M., Lazzarin, M., Lopez Moreno, J. J., Marzari, F., Michalik, H., Naletto, G., Oklay, N., Pommerol, A., Rickman, H., Rodrigo, R., Tubiana, C., Vincent, J. -B., Physikalisches Institut [Bern], Universität Bern [Bern] (UNIBE), Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), DLR Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Centro di Ateneo di Studi e Attività Spaziali 'Giuseppe Colombo' (CISAS), Università degli Studi di Padova = University of Padua (Unipd), Dipartimento di Geoscienze [Padova], Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), Southwest Research Institute [Boulder] (SwRI), Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung = Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Institut für Geophysik und Extraterrestrische Physik [Braunschweig] (IGEP), Technische Universität Braunschweig = Technical University of Braunschweig [Braunschweig], Department of Astronomy [College Park], University of Maryland [College Park], University of Maryland System-University of Maryland System, Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia 'Galileo Galilei', Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), PLANETO - LATMOS, Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova (OAPD), Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), CNR Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies (IFN), National Research Council of Italy | Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Department of Physics and Astronomy [Uppsala], Uppsala University, Department of Industrial Engineering [Padova], University of Trento [Trento], INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste (OAT), Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), Institute of Astronomy [Taiwan] (IANCU), National Central University [Taiwan] (NCU), Research and Scientific Support Department, ESTEC (RSSD), European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Agence Spatiale Européenne = European Space Agency (ESA)-Agence Spatiale Européenne = European Space Agency (ESA), Operations Department (ESAC), European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC), Institut für Datentechnik und Kommunikationsnetze, Space Research Centre of Polish Academy of Sciences (CBK), Polska Akademia Nauk = Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Centro de Astrobiologia [Madrid] (CAB), Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), International Space Science Institute [Bern] (ISSI), ITA, USA, GBR, FRA, DEU, ESP, Universität Bern [Bern], Universita degli Studi di Padova, Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (MPS), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche [Roma] (CNR), European Space Agency (ESA)-European Space Agency (ESA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES), and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC)-Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA)
- Subjects
Comet 67P ,comets ,fractures ,OSIRIS ,Rosetta ,530 Physics ,520 Astronomy ,Comets ,Fractures ,Earth and Planetary Sciences (all) ,Geophysics ,[SDU.ASTR.EP]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Earth and Planetary Astrophysics [astro-ph.EP] ,620 Engineering ,comet 67P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko - Abstract
The Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) experiment onboard the Rosetta spacecraft currently orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has yielded unprecedented views of a comet's nucleus. We present here the first ever observations of meter-scale fractures on the surface of a comet. Some of these fractures form polygonal networks. We present an initial assessment of their morphology, topology, and regional distribution. Fractures are ubiquitous on the surface of the comet's nucleus. Furthermore, they occur in various settings and show different topologies suggesting numerous formation mechanisms, which include thermal insulation weathering, orbital-induced stresses, and possibly seasonal thermal contraction. However, we conclude that thermal insolation weathering is responsible for creating most of the observed fractures based on their morphology and setting in addition to thermal models that indicate diurnal temperature ranges exceeding 200K and thermal gradients of similar to 15K/min at perihelion are possible. Finally, we suggest that fractures could be a facilitator in surface evolution and long-term erosion.
- Published
- 2015