Issue |
A&A
Volume 583, November 2015
Rosetta mission results pre-perihelion
|
|
---|---|---|
Article Number | A35 | |
Number of page(s) | 13 | |
Section | Planets and planetary systems | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201525947 | |
Published online | 30 October 2015 |
Geomorphology of the Imhotep region on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from OSIRIS observations
1 Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille) UMR 7326, 13388 Marseille, France
e-mail: anne-therese.auger@lam.fr
2 Laboratoire GEOPS (Géosciences Paris Sud), Bât. 509, Université Paris Sud, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France
3 Institut de Mécanique Céleste et de Calcul des Éphémérides, UMR 8028, 77 avenue Denfert Rochereau, 75014 Paris, France
4 Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
5 Physikalisches Institut, Sidlerstr. 5, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
6 Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
7 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Padova University, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 3, 35122 Padova, Italy
8 Centro de Astrobiologia (INTA-CSIC), 28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid, Spain
9 International Space Science Institute, Hallerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
10 Scientific Support Office, European Space Agency, 2201 Noordwijk, The Netherlands
11 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
12 PAS Space Research Center, Bartycka 18A, 00716 Warszawa, Poland
13 Institute for Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
14 Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2421, USA
15 LESIA, Obs. de Paris, CNRS, Univ Paris 06, Univ. Paris-Diderot, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
16 LATMOS, CNRS/UVSQ/IPSL, 11 boulevard d’Alembert, 78280 Guyancourt, France
17 University of Padova, CISAS, via Venezia 15, 35100 Padova, Italy
18 Department of Mech. Engineering University of Padova, via Venezia 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
19 CNR-IFN UOS Padova LUXOR, via Trasea 7, 35131 Padova, Italy
20 UNITN, Universit di Trento, via Mesiano, 77, 38100 Trento, Italy
21 INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico, via Tiepolo 11, 34143 Trieste, Italy
22 Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucía (CSIC), Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, 18008 Granada, Spain
23 Institute of Planetary Research, DLR, Rutherfordstrasse 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
24 Institute for Space Science, Nat. Central Univ., 300 Chung Da Rd., 32054 Chung-Li, Taiwan
25 Operations Department, European Space Astronomy Centre/ESA, PO Box 78, 28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid, Spain
26 Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut St., Boulder, CO 80302, USA
27 INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
28 Centro di Ateneo di Studi ed Attivitá Spaziali “Giuseppe Colombo” (CISAS), University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
29 Institut für Datentechnik und Kommunikationsnetze derTU Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Str. 66, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
30 University of Padova, Department of Information Engineering, Via Gradenigo 6/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
31 Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial, Carretera de Ajalvir, p.k. 4, 28850 Torrejon de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
Received: 23 February 2015
Accepted: 12 May 2015
Context. Since August 2014, the OSIRIS Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) onboard the Rosetta spacecraft has acquired high spatial resolution images of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, down to the decimeter scale. This paper focuses on the Imhotep region, located on the largest lobe of the nucleus, near the equator.
Aims. We map, inventory, and describe the geomorphology of the Imhotep region. We propose and discuss some processes to explain the formation and ongoing evolution of this region.
Methods. We used OSIRIS NAC images, gravitational heights and slopes, and digital terrain models to map and measure the morphologies of Imhotep.
Results. The Imhotep region presents a wide variety of terrains and morphologies: smooth and rocky terrains, bright areas, linear features, roundish features, and boulders. Gravity processes such as mass wasting and collapse play a significant role in the geomorphological evolution of this region. Cometary processes initiate erosion and are responsible for the formation of degassing conduits that are revealed by elevated roundish features on the surface. We also propose a scenario for the formation and evolution of the Imhotep region; this implies the presence of large primordial voids inside the nucleus, resulting from its formation process.
Key words: comets: individual: 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko / methods: data analysis
© ESO, 2015
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.