New insight on cometary science from the Rosetta mission observations

Titolo: New insight on cometary science from the Rosetta mission observations

Relatore: Sonia Fornasier (Observatoire Paris-Meudon, Francia)

Coordinate: mercoledì 20 aprile, ore 11:30, aula Ovest, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania

Abstract: Rosetta is the cornerstone mission of the European Space
Agency devoted to the study of Solar System minor bodies. Launched on 2
March 2004, Rosetta arrived on August 6, 2014, at the comet
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko after 10 years of interplanetary journey.
Rosetta is now in the main science escort phase of the comet after the
successful delivery of the lander Philae on its surface on November 12,
2014, and will end the observations in September 2016. A large
complement of scientific experiments designed to complete the most
detailed study of a comet ever attempted are on board Rosetta, including
cameras, spectrometers in the UV-NIR range, radio science, dust and
plasma analyser and so on. In this talk I will present the main results
achieved from the different instruments of the orbiter, in particular
from the OSIRIS imaging system, after 1 year and 8 months of continuous
observations of the comet 67P. I will present also the main results from
the adventurous landing of Philae. Finally the implications of the
results in the interpretation of the Solar System origin will be discussed.

Data: 
Mercoledì, 20 Aprile, 2016