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Fig. 8

image

Activity sources in the Khonsu region including a powerful outburst that modified the local terrain and later triggered the appearance of a bright patch resting on a boulder. Panel A shows the area of interest in the Khonsu region about 3 months prior to the perihelion passage. Panel B corresponds to about three weeks before the perihelion passage and there are a couple of bright patches that have appeared on the smooth terrain probably due to the erosion that had been escalating at this time. The following panels from C through G illustrate the appearance of a family of transient outbursts and a long-lived outburst with a lifetime of the order of several hours, as the comet was accelerating towards the perihelion of its orbit. The next panel H, where the area of interest is resolved about 4 months later, provides evidence that there have been significant changes on the surface morphology. The observable boulder field is therefore likely to be an aftermath of the aforementioned outbursts. Finally the panel I reveals the bright patch that appeared on the boulder, some 2 months later.

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