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The rotation state of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from approach observations with the OSIRIS cameras on Rosetta

Mottola, S., Lowry, S., Snodgrass, C., Lamy, P.L., Toth, I., Rożek, A., Sierks, H., A'Hearn, M.F., Angrilli, F., Barbieri, C., and others. (2014) The rotation state of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from approach observations with the OSIRIS cameras on Rosetta. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 569 . pp. 1-5. ISSN 0004-6361. E-ISSN 1432-0746. (doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201424590) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:52272)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201424590

Abstract

Aims. Approach observations with the Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) experiment onboard Rosetta are used to determine the rotation period, the direction of the spin axis, and the state of rotation of comet 67P's nucleus. Methods. Photometric time series of 67P have been acquired by OSIRIS since the post wake-up commissioning of the payload in March 2014. Fourier analysis and convex shape inversion methods have been applied to the Rosetta data as well to the available ground-based observations. Results. Evidence is found that the rotation rate of 67P has significantly changed near the time of its 2009 perihelion passage, probably due to sublimation-induced torque. We find that the sidereal rotation periods P1 = 12.76129 ± 0.00005 h and P2 = 12.4043 ± 0.0007 h for the apparitions before and after the 2009 perihelion, respectively, provide the best fit to the observations. No signs of multiple periodicity are found in the light curves down to the noise level, which implies that the comet is presently in a simple rotation state around its axis of largest moment of inertia. We derive a prograde rotation model with spin vector J2000 ecliptic coordinates ? = 65° ± 15°, ? = + 59° ± 15°, corresponding to equatorial coordinates RA = 22°, Dec = + 76°. However, we find that the mirror solution, also prograde, at ? = 275° ± 15°, ? = + 50° ± 15° (or RA = 274°, Dec = + 27°), is also possible at the same confidence level, due to the intrinsic ambiguity of the photometric problem for observations performed close to the ecliptic plane. © 2014 ESO.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1051/0004-6361/201424590
Additional information: Unmapped bibliographic data: C7 - L2 [EPrints field already has value set] LA - English [Field not mapped to EPrints] J2 - Astron. Astrophys. [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Institute of Planetary Research, DLR, Rutherfordstrasse 2, Berlin, Germany [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Centre for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, School of Physical Sciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, Göttingen, Germany [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d'Astro-physique de Marseille), Marseille, France [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Konkoly Observatory, MTA, CSFK CSI, Budapest, Hungary [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Department for Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - University of Padova, Department of Physics and Astronomy, vicolo dell'Osservatorio 3, Padova, Italy [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - LESIA, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Diderot, 5 place J. Janssen, Meudon, France [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - LATMOS, CNRS, IPSL, 11 boulevard d'Alembert, Guyancourt, France [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 5, Padova, Italy [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - CNR-IFN, UOS Padova, LUXOR, via Trasea 7, Padova, Italy [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - UNITN, Università di Trento, via Mesiano 77, Trento, Italy [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Padova, via Venezia 1, Padova, Italy [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, via Tiepolo 11, Trieste, Italy [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Instituto de Astrofí-sica de Andalucí-a, CSIC, Granada, Spain [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Institute for Space Science, National Central University, Chung-Li, Taiwan [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Institute for Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Research and Scientific Support Department, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, Netherlands [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - ESA, ESAC, PO Box 78, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Dept. Physics, University of Padova, Padova, Italy [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Institut für Datentechnik und Kommunikationsnetze, Braunschweig, Germany [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, via Gradenigo 6, Padova, Italy [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Centro de Astrobiologia, INTA, CSIC, Torrejan de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - International Space Science Institute, Bern, Switzerland [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejon de Ardoz, Spain [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, Bern, Switzerland [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - University of Padova, CISAS, via Venezia 15, Padova, Italy [Field not mapped to EPrints] DB - Scopus [Field not mapped to EPrints]
Uncontrolled keywords: Comets: general, Comets: individual: 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Techniques: photometric, 67p/churyumov-gerasimenko, Comets: general, Comets: individual: 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, OSiRIS cameras, Rosetta, Rotation state, Techniques: photometric
Subjects: Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Depositing User: Stephen Lowry
Date Deposited: 08 Dec 2015 22:07 UTC
Last Modified: 17 Aug 2022 10:59 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/52272 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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