Small bodies and Rosetta group

     

     A current focus of the group is the analysis of images from the OSIRIS scientific cameras of the Rosetta mission. Current research topics are:

    • Surface features of the nucleus and their interrelation with comet activity
    • Properties of individually observed dust particles and implied information about the formation of the comet
    • Chemical homogeneity of the nucleus and processes in the innermost coma from analysis of gas emissions

     

    Further research topics at ESAC are:

    • Detection of volatiles on asteroids and dwarf planet Ceres and their interpretation
    • Surface properties of asteroids and their evolution with time
    • Active asteroids
    • The DART and Hera missions and scientific aspects of planetary defence

     

    Further work on meteors is described on a separate website: http://cosmos.esa.int/meteor

     

    The group is formed at ESAC by Michael Küppers, Sebastien Besse, Laurence O'Rourke, Björn Grieger, Julia Marin - Yaseli de la Parra ,  and Claudio Munoz-Crego

    Some publications from the group:

    Sensitivity of modelled cometary gas production on the properties of the surface layer of the nucleus

    The ESA Hera Mission: Detailed Characterization of the DART Impact Outcome and of the Binary Asteroid (65803) Didymos

    ​​​​Mapping a duck: geological features and region definitions on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

    MUSE observations of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. A reference for future comet observations with MUSE

    The Philae lander reveals low-strength primitive ice inside cometary boulders

    Low Water Outgassing from (24) Themis and (65) Cybele: 3.1 μm Near-IR Spectral Implications

    Quincuncial adaptive closed Kohonen (QuACK) map for the irregularly shaped comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

    Characterization of the Agilkia region through discrete-element simulation of Philae's rebound

    Building mountains on Ceres

    The search campaign to identify and image the Philae Lander on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

    The Mystery of Ceres' Activity

    Dwarf planet Ceres and the ingredients of life

    Localized sources of water vapour on the dwarf planet (1)Ceres

    Herschel and IRAM-30 m observations of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) at 4.5 AU from the Sun

    Determination of an Upper Limit for the Water Outgassing Rate of Main-belt Comet P/2012 T1 (PANSTARRS)

    Thermal and shape properties of asteroid (21) Lutetia from Herschel observations around the Rosetta flyby

    Lutetia's lineaments

    Boulders on Lutetia

    On the Evolution of Comets

    Large heterogeneities in comet 67P as revealed by active pits from sinkhole collapse

    Activities in Europe related to the mitigation of the threat from near-Earth objects

    The observing campaign on the deep-space debris WT1190F as a test case for short-warning NEO impacts

    Distance determination method of dust particles using Rosetta OSIRIS NAC and WAC data

    Identification of a primordial asteroid family constrains the original planetesimal population

    NELIOTA: First temperature measurement of lunar impact flashes

    Exogenous origin of hydration on asteroid (16) Psyche: the role of hydrated asteroid families

    A Search for the Far-Infrared Ghost of C/2010 X1 (Elenin) with Herschel

    Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) as seen with the Herschel Space Observatory