2015
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201526421
|View full text |Cite
|
Sign up to set email alerts
|

The changing rotation period of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko controlled by its activity

Abstract: Context. The ESA Rosetta spacecraft has been orbiting the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko since August 2014. The rotation axis of the irregularly shaped nucleus has a large obliquity (52 • ) and is oriented such that the southern hemisphere is insolated during perihelion. Aims. We calculate the change in the rotation period as a function of the cometary orbital position due to forces exerted by cometary activity. Methods. We used a detailed shape model of 67P with >10 5 facets. We calculated the eff… Show more

Help me understand this report

Search citation statements

Order By: Relevance

Paper Sections

Select...
2
1
1

Citation Types

8
77
0
1

Year Published

2015
2015
2023
2023

Publication Types

Select...
9

Relationship

2
7

Authors

Journals

citations
Cited by 75 publications
(86 citation statements)
references
References 18 publications
8
77
0
1
Order By: Relevance
“…Keller et al (2015b) have made a study parallel to ours on the rotation rate changes of this comet through sublimation activity, with the actual shape model of the nucleus. They reached the following interesting conclusions: 1.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 94%
“…Keller et al (2015b) have made a study parallel to ours on the rotation rate changes of this comet through sublimation activity, with the actual shape model of the nucleus. They reached the following interesting conclusions: 1.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 94%
“…The model from Cowan & A'Hearn (1979), assuming that the spin axis tilt is perpendicular to the comet-Sun line with an active area of 2%, shows a weaker dependence with heliocentric distance. One could explain this by an increase of active area as the comet gets closer to the Sun, which could be due to erosion on the southern latitudes of the nucleus (Keller et al 2015) enabling easier sublimation as these regions are illuminated.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…These results are consistent with the observations made by the different instruments on board Rosetta (Biver et al 2015;Gulkis et al 2015;Hässig et al 2015;Bockelée-Morvan et al 2015;Lee et al 2015;Luspay-Kuti et al 2015;Migliorini et al 2016). Calculations by Keller et al (2015) show that the total energy input close to the Hapi region is enhanced by reflected light and IR radiation from the walls of the local concavity, which could explain the H 2 O distribution of activity. Conversely, the identification of two areas in the Imhotep region, where exposed water…”
Section: Description Of the Activity At The Surface Of The Nucleusmentioning
confidence: 98%
“…Later, the presence of this precession was confirmed by Gutiérrez et al (2016) and Jorda et al (2016). Additionally, a significant change from a constant to a varying rotation period, starting in late 2014 and caused by effects from sublimation activity, had been predicted early in the mission by Keller et al (2015) based on the SPG SHAP4S shape model. This change in the rotation period of 67P was confirmed later within different analyses of image data that were taken around the comet's perihelion (e.g., Jorda et al 2016).…”
Section: Improvement Of Orientation Data By Means Of Stereo-photogrammentioning
confidence: 83%