Distant Coma Composition of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as Observed from Rosetta/VIRTIS
Abstract
Since July 2014, the Visual IR Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) onboard the ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft has intensively observed comet 67P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko. VIRTIS is composed of two channels, -M for mapping and -H for high resolution, working in the 0.25-5 microns and 2-5 microns wavelength domains, respectively. In addition to nucleus mapping observations, limb observations were carried out to obtain spectra of the coma, and to detect fluorescence emissions of gas phase species. In particular, H2O, CO2, CO and organics have strong vibrational bands in the 2.5-5 microns range. We will present the first VIRTIS results concerning gas activity and composition, and the VIRTIS capabilities to detect minor coma species. The authors acknowledge funding from French and Italian Space Agencies.
- Publication:
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AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts #46
- Pub Date:
- November 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014DPS....4620901B