1. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Diffractive photoproduction of psi(2S) mesons at HERA
- 2002
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 541:3-4, s. 251-264
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Results on diffractive photoproduction of psi(2S) mesons are presented using data collected between 1996 and 2000 with the H1 detector at the HERA ep collider. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 77 pb(-1). The energy dependence of the diffractive psi(2S) cross section is found to be similar to or possibly somewhat steeper than that for J/psi mesons. The dependences of the elastic and proton dissociative psi(2S) photoproduction cross sections on the squared momentum transfer t at the proton vertex are measured. The t-dependence of the elastic channel, parametrised as e(bt), yields b(el)(psi(2S)) = (4.31 +/- 0.57 +/- 0.46) GeV-2, compatible with that of the J/psi. For the proton dissociative channel the result b(pd)(psi(2S)) = (0.59 +/- 0.13 +/- 0.12) GeV-2 is 2.3 standard deviations smaller than that measured for the J/psi. With proper account of the individual wavefunctions theoretical predictions based on perturbative QCD are found to describe the measurements well. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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2. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Search for new physics in e +/- q contact interactions at HERA
- 2003
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In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-2693. ; 568:1-2, s. 35-47
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Deep-inelastic e(+/-) p scattering at high squared momentum transfer Q(2) up to 30 000 GeV2 is used to search for eq contact interactions associated to scales far beyond the HERA centre of mass energy. The neutral current cross section measurements dsigma / dQ(2), corresponding to integrated luminosities of 16.4 pb(-1) of e(-) p data and 100.8 pb(-1) of e(+) p data, are well described by the Standard Model and are analysed to set constraints on new phenomena. For conventional contact interactions lower limits are set on compositeness scales A ranging between 1.6-5.5 TeV. Couplings and masses of leptoquarks and squarks in R-parity violating supersymmetry are constrained to M / lambda > 0.3-1.4 TeV. A search for low scale quantum gravity effects in models with large extra dimensions provides limits on the effective Planck scale of MS > 0.8 TeV. A form factor analysis yields a bound on the radius of light quarks of R-q < 1.0 10(-18) m. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.
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3. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Inelastic leptoproduction of J/psi mesons at HERA
- 2002
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In: European Physical Journal C. Particles and Fields. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6044. ; 25:1, s. 41-53
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The leptoproduction of J/psi mesons is studied in inelastic reactions for four momentorri transfers 2 < Q(2) < 100GeV(2). The data were taken with the H1 detector at the electron proton collider HERA and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 77 pb(-1). Single differential and double differential cross sections are measured with increased precision compared with previous analyses. New leading order calculations within the non-relativistic QCD factorisation approach including colour octet and colour singlet contributions are compared with the data and are found to give a reasonable description of most distributions. An exception is the shape of the distribution in the J/psi fractional energy. z, which deviates significantly from that of the data. Comparisons with photoproduction are made and the polarisation of the produced J/psi meson is analysed.
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4. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Inelastic photoproduction of J/psi mesons at HERA
- 2002
-
In: European Physical Journal C. Particles and Fields. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6044. ; 25:1, s. 25-39
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An analysis of inelastic photoproduction of J/psi mesons is presented using data collected at the ep collider HERA corresponding to an integrated luminosity of above 80 pb(-1), Differential and double I < P-t/psi(2) < differential cross sections are measured in a wide kinematic region: 60 < W-gammap < 260 GeV, 1 p(t,psi)(2) < 60 GeV2 and 0.05 < z < 0.9. where z is the fraction of the energy of the exchanged photon transferred to the J/psi meson in the rest frame of the target proton. Cross sections at z less than or similar to 0.3 are presented for the first time. Theoretical calculations within the Colour Singlet Model at NLO for direct photon processes are shown to give a good description of the data in the medium z region (0.3 < z < 0.9) up to the highest p(t,psi)(2) values. A calculation using a k(t) factorisation approach in LO in the Colour Singlet Model is also able to describe these data. The data in the full z range are also compared to LO calculations within a non-relativistic QCD framework including colour octet and colour singlet contributions for direct and resolved photons. It seems possible to reconcile data and theory with modest contributions from colour octet processes. The polarisation of the J/psi meson is measured as a function of z and p(t,psi) and is reasonably described by the theoretical predictions.
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5. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Measurement of inclusive jet cross-sections in deep-inelastic ep scattering at HERA
- 2002
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 542:3-4, s. 193-206
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A measurement of inclusive jet cross-sections in deep-inelastic ep scattering at HERA is presented based on data with an integrated luminosity of 21.1 pb(-1). The measurement is performed for photon virtualities Q(2) between 5 and 100 GeV2, differentially in Q(2), in the jet transverse energy E-T, in E-T(2)/Q(2) and in the pseudorapidity eta(lab). With the renormalization scale mu(R) = E-T, perturbative QCD calculations in next-to-leading order (NLO) give a good description of the data in most of the phase space. Significant discrepancies are observed only for jets in the proton beam direction with ET below 20 GeV and Q2 below 20 GeV2. This corresponds to the region in which NLO corrections are largest and further improvement of the calculations is thus of particular interest.
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6. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Search for excited electrons at HERA
- 2002
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 548:1-2, s. 35-44
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A search for excited electron (e*) production is described in which the electroweak decays e* --> egamma, e* --> eZ and e* ---> nuW are considered. The data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 120 pb(-1) taken in e(+/-)p collisions from 1994 to 2000 with the H1 detector at HERA at centre-of-mass energies of 300 and 318 GeV. No evidence for a signal is found. Mass dependent exclusion limits are derived for the ratio of the couplings to the compositeness scale, f/A. These limits extend the excluded region to higher masses than has been possible in previous direct searches for excited electrons. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
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7. |
- Aktas, A, et al.
(author)
-
Diffractive photoproduction of J/psi mesons with large momentum transfer at HERA
- 2003
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-2693. ; 568:3-4, s. 205-218
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The diffractive photoproduction of J/psi mesons is measured with the HI detector at the ep collider HERA using an integrated luminosity of 78 pb(-1). The differential cross section dsigma(gammap --> J/psiY)/dt is studied in the range 2 < < 30 GeV2, where t is the square of the four-momentum transferred at the proton vertex. The cross section is also presented as a function of the photon-proton centre-of-mass energy W-gammap in three t intervals, spanning the range 50 < W-gammap < 200 GeV. A fast rise of the cross section with W-gammap is observed for each t range and the slope for the effective linear Pomeron trajectory is measured to be alpha' = -0.0135 +/- 0.0074(stat.) +/- 0.0051(syst.) GeV-2. The measurements are compared with perturbative QCD models based on BFKL and DGLAP evolution. The data are found to be compatible with s-channel helicity conservation. (C) 200 Published by Elsevier B.V.
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8. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
A measurement of the t dependence of the helicity structure of diffractive rho meson electroproduction at HERA
- 2002
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 539:1-2, s. 25-39
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The helicity structure of the diffractive electroproduction of rho mesons, e + p --> e + rho + Y, is studied in a previously unexplored region of large four-momentum transfer squared at the proton vertex, t: 0 < t' < 3 GeV2, where t' = - min. The data used are collected with the HI detector at HERA in the kinematic domain 2.5 < Q(2) < 60 GeV2, 40 < W < 120 GeV No t dependence of the r(00)(04) spin density matrix element is found. A significant t dependent helicity non-conservation from the virtual photon to the rho meson is observed for the spin density matrix element combinations r(00)(5) + 2r(11)(5) and r(00)(1) + 2r(11)(1). These t dependences are consistently described by a perturbative QCD model based on the exchange of two gluons.
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9. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Measurement and QCD analysis of neutral and charged current cross sections at HERA
- 2003
-
In: European Physical Journal C. Particles and Fields. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6044. ; 30:1, s. 1-32
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The inclusive e(+)p single and double differential cross sections for neutral and charged current processes axe measured with the H1 detector at HERA. The data were taken in 1999 and 2000 at a centre-of-mass energy of roots = 319 GeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 65.2 pb(-1). The cross sections are measured in the range of four-momentum transfer squared Q(2) between 100 and 30 000 GeV2 and Bjorken x between 0.0013 and 0.65. The neutral current analysis for the new e(+)p data and the earlier e-p data taken in 1998 and 1999 is extended to small energies of the scattered electron and therefore to higher values of inelasticity y, allowing a determination of the longitudinal structure function F-L at high Q(2) (110 - 700 GeV2). A new measurement of the structure function x (F) over tilde (3) is obtained using the new e(+)p and previously published e p neutral current cross section data at high Q(2). These data together with H1 low Q(2) precision data are further used to perform new next-to-leading order QCD analyses in the framework of the Standard Model to extract flavour separated parton distributions in the proton.
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10. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Measurement of inclusive jet cross sections in photoproduction at HERA
- 2003
-
In: European Physical Journal C. Particles and Fields. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6044. ; 29:4, s. 497-513
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inclusive jet cross sections are measured in photoproduction at HERA using the H1 detector. The data sample of e(+)p --> e(+) + jet + X events in the kinematic range of photon virtualities Q(2) less than or equal to 1GeV(2) and photon-proton centre-of-mass energies 95 less than or equal to W-gammap less than or equal to 285GeV represents an integrated luminosity of 24.1pb(-1). Jets are defined using the inclusive k(perpendicular to) algorithm. Single- and multi-differential cross sections are measured as functions of jet transverse energy E-T(jet) and pseudorapidity eta(jet) in the domain 5 less than or equal to E-T(jet) less than or equal to 75GeV and -1 less than or equal to eta(jet) less than or equal to 2.5. The cross sections are found to be in good agreement with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations corrected for fragmentation and underlying event effects. The cross section differential in E-T(jet), which varies by six orders of magnitude over the measured range, is compared with similar distributions from p (p) over bar colliders at equal and higher energies.
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11. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Search for excited neutrinos at HERA
- 2002
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 525:1-2, s. 9-16
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a search for excited neutrinos using e(-) p data taken by the H1 experiment at HERA at a center-of-mass energy of 318 GeV with an integrated luminosity of 15 pb(-1). No evidence for excited neutrino production is found. Mass dependent exclusion limits are determined for the ratio of the coupling to the compositeness scale, f/Lambda, independently of the relative couplings to the SU(2) and U(1) gauge bosons. These limits extend the excluded region to higher masses than has been possible in previous searches at other colliders.
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12. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Search for odderon-induced contributions to exclusive pi(0) photoproduction at HERA
- 2002
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 544:1-2, s. 35-43
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A search for contributions to the reaction ep --> epi(0)N* from photon-odderon fusion in the photoproduction regime at HERA is reported, at an average photon-proton centre-of-mass energy = 215 GeV. The measurement proceeds via detection of the pi(0) decay photons, a leading neutron from the N* decay, and the scattered electron. No pi(0) signal is observed and an upper limit on the cross section for the photon-odderon fusion process of sigma(gammap --> pi(0)N*) < 49 nb at the 95% confidence level is derived, integrated over the experimentally accessible range of the squared four-momentum transfer at the nucleon vertex 0.02 < < 0.3 GeV2. This excludes a recent prediction from a calculation based on a non-perturbative QCD model of a photon-odderon fusion cross section above 200 nb. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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13. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Search for QCD instanton-induced processes in deep-inelastic scattering at HERA
- 2002
-
In: European Physical Journal C. Particles and Fields. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6044. ; 25:4, s. 495-509
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Signals of QCD instanton-induced processes are searched for in deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) at the electron-proton collider HERA in a kinematic region defined by the Bjorken-scaling variables x > 10(-3), 0.1 < y < 0.6 and photon virtualities 10 less than or similar to Q(2) < 100 GeV2. Several observables characterising hadronic final state properties of QCD instanton-induced events are exploited to identify a potentially instanton-enriched domain. While an excess of events with instanton-like topology is observed it cannot be claimed significant given the uncertainty of the standard DIS background simulation. Upper limits on the cross-section for instanton-induced processes of between 60 pb and 1000 pb are set dependent on the kinematic domain considered. The data do not exclude the cross-section predicted by instanton perturbation theory for small instanton sizes. At large instanton sizes a naive extrapolation of instanton perturbation theory yields a cross-section in the range of sensitivity of this study. Such a cross-section is not observed, in agreement with non-perturbative lattice simulations of the QCD vacuum.
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14. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Measurement of dijet cross sections in photoproduction at HERA
- 2002
-
In: European Physical Journal C. Particles and Fields. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6044. ; 25:1, s. 13-23
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dijet cross sections as functions of several jet observables are measured in photoproduction using the HI detector at HERA. The data sample comprises e(+)p data with an integrated luminosity of 319 pb(-1). Jets are selected using the inclusive k(perpendicular to) algorithm with a minimum transverse energy of 25 GeV for the leading jet. The phase space covers longitudinal proton momentum fraction x(p) and photon longitudinal momentum fraction x(gamma) in the ranges 0.05 < x(p) < 0.6 and 0.1 < x(gamma) < 1. The predict ions of next-to-leading order perturbative QCD, including recent photon and proton parton densities, are found to be compatible with the data in a wide kinematical range.
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15. |
- Andreev, V, et al.
(author)
-
Isolated electrons and muons in events with missing transverse momentum at HERA
- 2003
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 561:3-4, s. 241-257
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A search for events with a high-energy isolated electron or muon and missing transverse momentum has been performed at the electron-proton collider HERA using an integrated luminosity of 13.6 pb(-1) in e(-) p scattering and 104.7 pb(-1) in e(+) p scattering. Within the Standard Model such events are expected to be mainly due to W boson production with subsequent leptonic decay. In e(-) p interactions one event is observed in the electron channel and none in the muon channel, consistent with the expectation of the Standard Model. In the e(+) p data a total of 18 events are seen in the electron and muon channels compared to an expectation of 12.4 +/- 1.7 dominated by W production (9.4 +/- 1.6). Whilst the overall observed number of events is broadly in agreement with the number predicted by the Standard Model, there is-an excess of events with transverse momentum of the hadronic system greater than 25 GeV with 10 events found compared to 2.9 +/- 0.5 expected. The results are used to determine the cross-section for events with an isolated electron or muon and missing transverse momentum. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
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16. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Energy flow and rapidity gaps between jets in photoproduction at HERA
- 2002
-
In: European Physical Journal C. Particles and Fields. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6044. ; 24:4, s. 517-527
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dijet events in photon-proton collisions in which there is a large pseudorapidity separation, Deltaeta > 2.5 between the two highest E-T jets are studied with the H1 detector at HERA. The inclusive dijet cross sections are measured as functions of the longitudinal momentum fractions of the proton and photon which participate in the production of the jets, x(p)(jets) and x(gamma)(jets) respectively, Deltaeta, the pseudorapidity P separation between the two highest E-T jets, and E-T(gap), the total summed transverse energy between the jets. Rapidity gap events are defined as events in which E-T(gap) is less than E-T(cut), for E-T(cut) varied between jets 0.5 and 2.0 GeV. The fraction of dijet events with a rapidity gap is measured differentially in Deltaeta, x(p)(jets) and x(gamma)(jets). An excess of events with rapidity gaps at low values of E-T(cut) is observed above the expectation from standard photoproduction processes. This excess can be explained by the exchange of a strongly interacting colour singlet object between the jets.
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17. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Measurement of D*(+/-) meson production and F-2(c) in deep-inelastic scattering at HERA
- 2002
-
In: Physics Letters. Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics. - 0370-2693. ; 528:3-4, s. 199-214
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The inclusive production of D*+/-(2010) mesons in deep-inelastic scattering is studied with the HI detector at HERA. In the kinematic region 1 < Q(2) < 100 GeV2 and 0.05 < y < 0.7 an e(+) p cross section for inclusive D*+/- meson production of 8.50 +/- 0.42(stat.)(-100)(+1.21)(syst.) nb is measured in the visible range p(tD*) > 1.5 GeV and eta(D*) < 1.5. Single and double differential inclusive D*+/- meson cross sections are compared to perturbative QCD calculations in two different evolution schemes, The charm contribution to the proton structure, F-c(2)(x, Q(2)), is determined by extrapolating the visible charm cross section to the full phase space. This contribution is found to rise from about 10% at Q(2) = 1.5 GeV2 to more than 25% at Q(2) = 60 GeV2 corresponding to x values ranging from 5 x 10(-5) to 3 x 10(-3). (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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18. |
- Adloff, C, et al.
(author)
-
Measurement of dijet electroproduction at small jet separation
- 2002
-
In: European Physical Journal C. Particles and Fields. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6044. ; 24:1, s. 33-41
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Deep-inelastic scattering data in the range 150 < Q(2) < 35000 GeV2 are used to investigate the minimum jet separation necessary to allow accurate description of the rate of dijet production using next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations. The required jet separation is found to be small, allowing about 1/3 of DIS data to be classified as dijet, as opposed to approximately 1/10 with more typical jet analyses. A number of precision measurements made using this dijet sample are well described by the calculations. The data are also described by the combination of leading order matrix elements and parton showers, as implemented in the QCD based Monte Carlo model RAPGAP.
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19. |
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20. |
- Snodgrass, C., et al.
(author)
-
The 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko observation campaign in support of the Rosetta mission
- 2017
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In: Philosophical Transactions. Series A. - : The Royal Society. - 1364-503X .- 1471-2962. ; 375:2097
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a summary of the campaign of remote observations that supported the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission. Telescopes across the globe (and in space) followed comet 67P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko from before Rosetta's arrival until nearly the end of the mission in September 2016. These provided essential data for mission planning, large-scale context information for the coma and tails beyond the spacecraft and a way to directly compare 67P with other comets. The observations revealed 67P to be a relatively 'well-behaved' comet, typical of Jupiter family comets and with activity patterns that repeat from orbit to orbit. Comparison between this large collection of telescopic observations and the in situ results from Rosetta will allow us to better understand comet coma chemistry and structure. This work is just beginning as the mission ends-in this paper, we present a summary of the ground-based observations and early results, and point to many questions that will be addressed in future studies. This article is part of the themed issue 'Cometary science after Rosetta'.
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21. |
- Kueppers, Michael, et al.
(author)
-
Triple F-a comet nucleus sample return mission
- 2009
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In: Experimental astronomy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0922-6435 .- 1572-9508. ; 23:3, s. 809-847
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Triple F (Fresh From the Fridge) mission, a Comet Nucleus Sample Return, has been proposed to ESA's Cosmic Vision program. A sample return from a comet enables us to reach the ultimate goal of cometary research. Since comets are the least processed bodies in the solar system, the proposal goes far beyond cometary science topics (like the explanation of cometary activity) and delivers invaluable information about the formation of the solar system and the interstellar molecular cloud from which it formed. The proposed mission would extract three sample cores of the upper 50 cm from three locations on a cometary nucleus and return them cooled to Earth for analysis in the laboratory. The simple mission concept with a touch-and-go sampling by a single spacecraft was proposed as an M-class mission in collaboration with the Russian space agency ROSCOSMOS.
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22. |
- Arnlund, David, et al.
(author)
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Visualizing a protein quake with time-resolved X-ray scattering at a free-electron laser
- 2014
-
In: Nature Methods. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1548-7091 .- 1548-7105. ; 11:9, s. 923-926
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We describe a method to measure ultrafast protein structural changes using time-resolved wide-angle X-ray scattering at an X-ray free-electron laser. We demonstrated this approach using multiphoton excitation of the Blastochloris viridis photosynthetic reaction center, observing an ultrafast global conformational change that arises within picoseconds and precedes the propagation of heat through the protein. This provides direct structural evidence for a 'protein quake': the hypothesis that proteins rapidly dissipate energy through quake-like structural motions.
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23. |
- Barty, A., et al.
(author)
-
Self-terminating diffraction gates femtosecond X-ray nanocrystallography measurements
- 2012
-
In: Nature Photonics. - 1749-4885 .- 1749-4893. ; 6:1, s. 35-40
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- X-ray free-electron lasers have enabled new approaches to the structural determination of protein crystals that are too small or radiation-sensitive for conventional analysis1. For sufficiently short pulses, diffraction is collected before significant changes occur to the sample, and it has been predicted that pulses as short as 10 fs may be required to acquire atomic-resolution structural information1, 2, 3, 4. Here, we describe a mechanism unique to ultrafast, ultra-intense X-ray experiments that allows structural information to be collected from crystalline samples using high radiation doses without the requirement for the pulse to terminate before the onset of sample damage. Instead, the diffracted X-rays are gated by a rapid loss of crystalline periodicity, producing apparent pulse lengths significantly shorter than the duration of the incident pulse. The shortest apparent pulse lengths occur at the highest resolution, and our measurements indicate that current X-ray free-electron laser technology5 should enable structural determination from submicrometre protein crystals with atomic resolution.
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24. |
- Grun, E., et al.
(author)
-
The 2016 Feb 19 outburst of comet 67P/CG : an ESA Rosetta multi-instrument study
- 2016
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 462, s. S220-S234
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- On 2016 Feb 19, nine Rosetta instruments serendipitously observed an outburst of gas and dust from the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Among these instruments were cameras and spectrometers ranging from UV over visible to microwave wavelengths, in situ gas, dust and plasma instruments, and one dust collector. At 09: 40 a dust cloud developed at the edge of an image in the shadowed region of the nucleus. Over the next two hours the instruments recorded a signature of the outburst that significantly exceeded the background. The enhancement ranged from 50 per cent of the neutral gas density at Rosetta to factors > 100 of the brightness of the coma near the nucleus. Dust related phenomena (dust counts or brightness due to illuminated dust) showed the strongest enhancements (factors > 10). However, even the electron density at Rosetta increased by a factor 3 and consequently the spacecraft potential changed from similar to-16 V to -20 V during the outburst. A clear sequence of events was observed at the distance of Rosetta ( 34 km from the nucleus): within 15 min the Star Tracker camera detected fast particles (similar to 25 m s(-1)) while 100 mu m radius particles were detected by the GIADA dust instrument similar to 1 h later at a speed of 6 m s(-1). The slowest were individual mm to cm sized grains observed by the OSIRIS cameras. Although the outburst originated just outside the FOV of the instruments, the source region and the magnitude of the outburst could be determined.
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25. |
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26. |
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27. |
- Fulle, M., et al.
(author)
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Evolution Of The Dust Size Distribution Of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko From 2.2 Au To Perihelion
- 2016
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 821:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Rosetta probe, orbiting Jupiter-family comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, has been detecting individual dust particles of mass larger than 10(-10) kg by means of the GIADA dust collector and the OSIRIS Wide Angle Camera and Narrow Angle Camera since 2014 August and will continue until 2016 September. Detections of single dust particles allow us to estimate the anisotropic dust flux from 67P, infer the dust loss rate and size distribution at the surface of the sunlit nucleus, and see whether the dust size distribution of 67P evolves in time. The velocity of the Rosetta orbiter, relative to 67P, is much lower than the dust velocity measured by GIADA, thus dust counts when GIADA is nadir-pointing will directly provide the dust flux. In OSIRIS observations, the dust flux is derived from the measurement of the dust space density close to the spacecraft. Under the assumption of radial expansion of the dust, observations in the nadir direction provide the distance of the particles by measuring their trail length, with a parallax baseline determined by the motion of the spacecraft. The dust size distribution at sizes > 1 mm observed by OSIRIS is consistent with a differential power index of -4, which was derived from models of 67P's trail. At sizes <1 mm, the size distribution observed by GIADA shows a strong time evolution, with a differential power index drifting from -2 beyond 2 au to -3.7 at perihelion, in agreement with the evolution derived from coma and tail models based on ground-based data. The refractory-to-water mass ratio of the nucleus is close to six during the entire inbound orbit and at perihelion.
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28. |
- Barucci, M. A., et al.
(author)
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Detection of exposed H2O ice on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as observed by Rosetta OSIRIS and VIRTIS instruments
- 2016
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 595
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. Since the orbital insertion of the Rosetta spacecraft, comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P) has been mapped by OSIRIS camera and VIRTIS spectro-imager, producing a huge quantity of images and spectra of the comet's nucleus. Aims. The aim of this work is to search for the presence of H2O on the nucleus which, in general, appears very dark and rich in dehydrated organic material. After selecting images of the bright spots which could be good candidates to search for H2O ice, taken at high resolution by OSIRIS, we check for spectral cubes of the selected coordinates to identify these spots observed by VIRTIS. Methods. The selected OSIRIS images were processed with the OSIRIS standard pipeline and corrected for the illumination conditions for each pixel using the Lommel-Seeliger disk law. The spots with higher I/F were selected and then analysed spectrophotometrically and compared with the surrounding area. We selected 13 spots as good targets to be analysed by VIRTIS to search for the 2 mu m absorption band of water ice in the VIRTIS spectral cubes. Results. Out of the 13 selected bright spots, eight of them present positive H2O ice detection on the VIRTIS data. A spectral analysis was performed and the approximate temperature of each spot was computed. The H2O ice content was confirmed by modeling the spectra with mixing (areal and intimate) of H2O ice and dark terrain, using Hapke's radiative transfer modeling. We also present a detailed analysis of the detected spots.
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29. |
- El-Maarry, M. R., et al.
(author)
-
Fractures on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko observed by Rosetta/OSIRIS
- 2015
-
In: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 42:13, s. 5170-5178
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) experiment onboard the Rosetta spacecraft currently orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has yielded unprecedented views of a comet's nucleus. We present here the first ever observations of meter-scale fractures on the surface of a comet. Some of these fractures form polygonal networks. We present an initial assessment of their morphology, topology, and regional distribution. Fractures are ubiquitous on the surface of the comet's nucleus. Furthermore, they occur in various settings and show different topologies suggesting numerous formation mechanisms, which include thermal insulation weathering, orbital-induced stresses, and possibly seasonal thermal contraction. However, we conclude that thermal insolation weathering is responsible for creating most of the observed fractures based on their morphology and setting in addition to thermal models that indicate diurnal temperature ranges exceeding 200K and thermal gradients of similar to 15K/min at perihelion are possible. Finally, we suggest that fractures could be a facilitator in surface evolution and long-term erosion.
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30. |
- El-Maarry, M. R., et al.
(author)
-
Regional surface morphology of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from Rosetta/OSIRIS images
- 2015
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 583
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims. The OSIRIS camera onboard the Rosetta spacecraft has been acquiring images of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P)'s nucleus at spatial resolutions down to similar to 0.17 m/px ever since Aug. 2014. These images have yielded unprecedented insight into the morphological diversity of the comet's surface. This paper presents an overview of the regional morphology of comet 67P. Methods. We used the images that were acquired at orbits similar to 20-30 km from the center of the comet to distinguish different regions on the surface and introduce the basic regional nomenclature adopted by all papers in this Rosetta special feature that address the comet's morphology and surface processes. We used anaglyphs to detect subtle regional and topographical boundaries and images from close orbit (similar to 10 km from the comet's center) to investigate the fine texture of the surface. Results. Nineteen regions have currently been defined on the nucleus based on morphological and/or structural boundaries, and they can be grouped into distinctive region types. Consolidated, fractured regions are the most common region type. Some of these regions enclose smooth units that appear to settle in gravitational sinks or topographically low areas. Both comet lobes have a significant portion of their surface covered by a dusty coating that appears to be recently placed and shows signs of mobilization by aeolian-like processes. The dusty coatings cover most of the regions on the surface but are notably absent from a couple of irregular large depressions that show sharp contacts with their surroundings and talus-like deposits in their interiors, which suggests that short-term explosive activity may play a significant role in shaping the comet's surface in addition to long-term sublimation loss. Finally, the presence of layered brittle units showing signs of mechanical failure predominantly in one of the comet's lobes can indicate a compositional heterogeneity between the two lobes.
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31. |
- El-Marry, M. R., et al.
(author)
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Regional surface morphology of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from Rosetta/OSIRIS images : The southern hemisphere
- 2016
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 593
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims. The OSIRIS camera on board the Rosetta spacecraft has been acquiring images of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P)'s nucleus since August 2014. Starting in May 2015, the southern hemisphere gradually became illuminated and was imaged for the first time. Here we present the regional morphology of the southern hemisphere, which serves as a companion to an earlier paper that presented the regional morphology of the northern hemisphere. Methods. We used OSIRIS images that were acquired at orbits similar to 45-125 km from the center of the comet (corresponding to spatial resolutions of similar to 0.8 to 2.3 m/pixel) coupled with the use of digital terrain models to define the different regions on the surface, and identify structural boundaries accurately. Results. Seven regions have been defined in the southern hemisphere bringing the total number of defined regions on the surface of the nucleus to 26. These classifications are mainly based on morphological and/or topographic boundaries. The southern hemisphere shows a remarkable dichotomy with its northern counterpart mainly because of the absence of wide-scale smooth terrains, dust coatings and large unambiguous depressions. As a result, the southern hemisphere closely resembles previously identified consolidated regions. An assessment of the overall morphology of comet 67P suggests that the comet's two lobes show surface heterogeneities manifested in different physical/mechanical characteristics, possibly extending to local (i.e., within a single region) scales.
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32. |
- Lara, L. M., et al.
(author)
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Large-scale dust jets in the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as seen by the OSIRIS instrument onboard Rosetta
- 2015
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 583
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. During the most recent perihelion passage in 2009 of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P), ground-based observations showed an anisotropic dust coma where jet-like features were detected at similar to 1.3 AU from the Sun. The current perihelion passage is exceptional as the Rosetta spacecraft is monitoring the nucleus activity since March 2014, when a clear dust coma was already surrounding the nucleus at 4.3 AU from the Sun. Subsequently, the OSIRIS camera also witnessed an outburst in activity between April 27 and 30, and since mid-July, the dust coma at rh similar to 3.7-3.6 AU preperihelion is clearly non-isotropic, pointing to the existence of dust jet-like features. Aims. We aim to ascertain on the nucleus surface the origin of the dust jet-like features detected as early as in mid-July 2014. This will help to establish how the localized comet nucleus activity compares with that seen in previous apparitions and will also help following its evolution as the comet approaches its perihelion, at which phase most of the jets were detected from ground-based observations. Determining these areas also allows locating them in regions on the nucleus with spectroscopic or geomorphological distinct characteristics. Methods. Three series of dust images of comet 67P obtained with the Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the OSIRIS instrument onboard the Rosetta spacecraft were processed with different enhancement techniques. This was made to clearly show the existence of jet-like features in the dust coma, whose appearance toward the observer changed as a result of the rotation of the comet nucleus and of the changing observing geometry from the spacecraft. The position angles of these features in the coma together with information on the observing geometry, nucleus shape, and rotation, allowed us to determine the most likely locations on the nucleus surface where the jets originate from. Results. Geometrical tracing of jet sources indicates that the activity of the nucleus of 67P gave rise during July and August 2014 to large-scale jet-like features from the Hapi, Hathor, Anuket, and Aten regions, confirming that active regions may be present on the nucleus localized at 60. northern latitude as deduced from previous comet apparitions. There are also hints that large-scale jets observed from the ground are possibly composed, at their place of origin on the nucleus surface, of numerous small-scale features.
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33. |
- Oklay, N., et al.
(author)
-
Long-term survival of surface water ice on comet 67P
- 2017
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 469, s. S582-S597
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Numerous water-ice-rich deposits surviving more than several months on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko were observed during the Rosetta mission. We announce the first-time detection of water-ice features surviving up to 2 yr since their first observation via OSIRIS (Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System) NAC (narrow angle camera). Their existence on the nucleus of comet 67P at the arrival of the Rosetta spacecraft suggests that they were exposed to the surface during the comet's previous orbit. We investigated the temporal variation of large water-ice patches to understand the long-term sustainability of water ice on cometary nuclei on time-scales of months and years. Large clusters are stable over typical periods of 0.5 yr and reduce their size significantly around the comet's perihelion passage, while small exposures disappear. We characterized the temporal variation of their multispectral signatures. In large clusters, dust jets were detected, whereas in large isolated ones no associated activity was detected. Our thermal analysis shows that the long-term sustainability of water-ice-rich features can be explained by the scarce energy input available at their locations over the first half year. However, the situation reverses for the period lasting several months around perihelion passage. Our two end-member mixing analysis estimates a pure water-ice equivalent thickness up to 15 cm within one isolated patch, and up to 2 m for the one still observable through the end of the mission. Our spectral modelling estimates up to 48 per cent water-ice content for one of the large isolated feature, and up to 25 per cent water ice on the large boulders located within clusters.
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34. |
- Pajola, M., et al.
(author)
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The Agilkia boulders/pebbles size-frequency distributions : OSIRIS and ROLIS joint observations of 67P surface
- 2016
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 462, s. S242-S252
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- By using the images acquired by the OSIRIS (Optical, Spectroscopic and Infrared Remote Imaging System) and ROLIS (ROsetta Lander Imaging System) cameras, we derive the size-frequency distribution (SFD) of cometary pebbles and boulders covering the size range 0.05-30.0 m on the Agilkia landing site. The global SFD measured on OSIRIS images, reflects the different properties of the multiple morphological units present on Agilkia, combined with selection effects related to lifting, transport and redeposition. Contrarily, the different ROLIS SFD derived on the smooth and rough units may be related to their different regolith thickness present on Agilkia. In the thicker, smoother layer, ROLIS mainly measures the SFD of the airfall population which almost completely obliterates the signature of underlying boulders up to a size of the order of 1 m. This is well matched by the power-law index derived analysing coma particles identified by the grain analyser Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator. This result confirms the important blanketing dynamism of Agilkia. The steeper SFD observed in rough terrains from 0.4 to 2 m could point out intrinsic differences between northern and southern dust size distributions, or it may suggest that the underlying boulders 'peek through' the thinner airfall layer in the rough terrain, thereby producing the observed excess in the decimetre size range. Eventually, the OSIRIS SFD performed on the Philae landing unit may be due to water sublimation from a static population of boulders, affecting smaller boulders before the bigger ones, thus shallowing the original SFD.
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35. |
- Pommerol, A., et al.
(author)
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OSIRIS observations of meter-sized exposures of H2O ice at the surface of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and interpretation using laboratory experiments
- 2015
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 583
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Since OSIRIS started acquiring high-resolution observations of the surface of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, over one hundred meter-sized bright spots have been identified in numerous types of geomorphologic regions, but mostly located in areas receiving low insolation. The bright spots are either clustered, in debris fields close to decameter-high cliffs, or isolated without structural relation to the surrounding terrain. They can be up to ten times brighter than the average surface of the comet at visible wavelengths and display a significantly bluer spectrum. They do not exhibit significant changes over a period of a few weeks. All these observations are consistent with exposure of water ice at the surface of boulders produced by dislocation of the weakly consolidated layers that cover large areas of the nucleus. Laboratory experiments show that under simulated comet surface conditions, analog samples acquire a vertical stratification with an uppermost porous mantle of refractory dust overlaying a layer of hard ice formed by recondensation or sintering under the insulating dust mantle. The evolution of the visible spectrophotometric properties of samples during sublimation is consistent with the contrasts of brightness and color seen at the surface of the nucleus. Clustered bright spots are formed by the collapse of overhangs that is triggered by mass wasting of deeper layers. Isolated spots might be the result of the emission of boulders at low velocity that are redepositioned in other regions.
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36. |
- Thompson, Deborah J, et al.
(author)
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Genetic predisposition to mosaic Y chromosome loss in blood
- 2019
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 575, s. 652-657
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mosaic loss of chromosome Y (LOY) in circulating white blood cells is the most common form of clonal mosaicism1-5, yet our knowledge of the causes and consequences of this is limited. Here, using a computational approach, we estimate that 20% of the male population represented in the UK Biobank study (n = 205,011) has detectable LOY. We identify 156 autosomal genetic determinants of LOY, which we replicate in 757,114 men of European and Japanese ancestry. These loci highlight genes that are involved in cell-cycle regulation and cancer susceptibility, as well as somatic drivers of tumour growth and targets of cancer therapy. We demonstrate that genetic susceptibility to LOY is associated with non-haematological effects on health in both men and women, which supports the hypothesis that clonal haematopoiesis is a biomarker of genomic instability in other tissues. Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies dysregulated expression of autosomal genes in leukocytes with LOY and provides insights into why clonal expansion of these cells may occur. Collectively, these data highlight the value of studying clonal mosaicism to uncover fundamental mechanisms that underlie cancer and other ageing-related diseases.
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37. |
- Auger, A. -T, et al.
(author)
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Geomorphology of the Imhotep region on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from OSIRIS observations
- 2015
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 583
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. Since August 2014, the OSIRIS Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) onboard the Rosetta spacecraft has acquired high spatial resolution images of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, down to the decimeter scale. This paper focuses on the Imhotep region, located on the largest lobe of the nucleus, near the equator. Aims. We map, inventory, and describe the geomorphology of the Imhotep region. We propose and discuss some processes to explain the formation and ongoing evolution of this region. Methods. We used OSIRIS NAC images, gravitational heights and slopes, and digital terrain models to map and measure the morphologies of Imhotep. Results. The Imhotep region presents a wide variety of terrains and morphologies: smooth and rocky terrains, bright areas, linear features, roundish features, and boulders. Gravity processes such as mass wasting and collapse play a significant role in the geomorphological evolution of this region. Cometary processes initiate erosion and are responsible for the formation of degassing conduits that are revealed by elevated roundish features on the surface. We also propose a scenario for the formation and evolution of the Imhotep region; this implies the presence of large primordial voids inside the nucleus, resulting from its formation process.
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38. |
- Bertini, I., et al.
(author)
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The scattering phase function of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko coma as seen from the Rosetta/OSIRIS instrument
- 2017
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 469, s. S404-S415
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The study of dust, the most abundant material in cometary nuclei, is pivotal in understanding the original materials forming the Solar system. Measuring the coma phase function provides a tool to investigate the nature of cometary dust. Rosetta/OSIRIS sampled the coma phase function of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, covering a large phase angle range in a small amount of time. Twelve series were acquired in the period from 2015 March to 2016 February for this scientific purpose. These data allowed, after stray light removal, measuring the phase function shape, its reddening, and phase reddening while varying heliocentric and nucleocentric distances. Despite small dissimilarities within different series, we found a constant overall shape. The reflectance has a u-shape with minimum at intermediate phase angles, reaching similar values at the smallest and largest phase angle sampled. The comparison with cometary phase functions in literature indicates OSIRIS curves being consistent with the ones found in many other single comets. The dust has a negligible phase reddening at alpha < 90 degrees, indicating a coma dominated by single scattering. We measured a reddening of [11-14] %/100 nm between 376 and 744 nm. No trend with heliocentric or nucleocentric distance was found, indicating the coma doesn't change its spectrum with time. These results are consistent with single coma grains and close-nucleus coma photometric results. Comparison with nucleus photometry indicates a different backscattering phase function shape and similar reddening values only at alpha < 30 degrees. At larger phase angles, the nucleus becomes significantly redder than the coma.
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39. |
- Deshapriya, J. D. P., et al.
(author)
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Spectrophotometry of the Khonsu region on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko using OSIRIS instrument images
- 2016
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 462, s. S274-S286
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Our work focuses on the spectrophotometric analysis of selected terrain and bright patches in the Khonsu region on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Despite the variety of geological features, their spectrophotometric properties appear to indicate a similar composition. It is noticeable that the smooth areas in Khonsu possess similar spectrophotometric behaviour to some other regions of the comet. We observed bright patches on Khonsu with an estimation of >40 per cent of normal albedo and suggest that they are associated with H2O ice. One of the studied bright patches has been observed to exist on the surface for more than 5 months without a major decay of its size, implying the existence of potential sub-surface icy layers. Its location may be correlated with a cometary outburst during the perihelion passage of the comet in 2015 August, and we interpret it to have triggered the surface modifications necessary to unearth the stratified icy layers beneath the surface. A boulder analysis on Khonsu leads to a power-law index of -3.1 + 0.2/-0.3 suggesting a boulder formation, shaped by varying geological processes for different morphological units.
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40. |
- El-Maarry, M. Ramy, et al.
(author)
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Surface changes on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko suggest a more active past
- 2017
-
In: Science. - : AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE. - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 355:6332, s. 1392-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Rosetta spacecraft spent similar to 2 years orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, most of it at distances that allowed surface characterization and monitoring at submeter scales. From December 2014 to June 2016, numerous localized changes were observed, which we attribute to cometary-specific weathering, erosion, and transient events driven by exposure to sunlight and other processes. While the localized changes suggest compositional or physical heterogeneity, their scale has not resulted in substantial alterations to the comet's landscape. This suggests that most of the major landforms were created early in the comet's current orbital configuration. They may even date from earlier if the comet had a larger volatile inventory, particularly of CO or CO2 ices, or contained amorphous ice, which could have triggered activity at greater distances from the Sun.
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41. |
- Feller, C., et al.
(author)
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Decimetre-scaled spectrophotometric properties of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from OSIRIS observations
- 2016
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 462, s. S287-S303
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the results of the photometric and spectrophotometric properties of the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko nucleus derived with the Optical, Spectroscopic and Infrared Remote Imaging System instrument during the closest fly-by over the comet, which took place on 2015 February 14 at a distance of similar to 6 km from the surface. Several images covering the 0 degrees-33 degrees. phase angle range were acquired, and the spatial resolution achieved was 11 cm pixel(-1). The flown-by region is located on the big lobe of the comet, near the borders of the Ash, Apis and Imhotep regions. Our analysis shows that this region features local heterogeneities at the decimetre scale. We observed difference of reflectance up to 40 per cent between bright spots and sombre regions, and spectral slope variations up to 50 per cent. The spectral reddening effect observed globally on the comet surface by Fornasier et al. (2015) is also observed locally on this region, but with a less steep behaviour. We note that numerous metre-sized boulders, which exhibit a smaller opposition effect, also appear spectrally redder than their surroundings. In this region, we found no evidence linking observed bright spots to exposed water-ice-rich material. We fitted our data set using the Hapke 2008 photometric model. The region overflown is globally as dark as the whole nucleus (geometric albedo of 6.8 per cent) and it has a high porosity value in the uppermost layers (86 per cent). These results of the photometric analysis at a decimetre scale indicate that the photometric properties of the flown-by region are similar to those previously found for the whole nucleus.
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42. |
- Frattin, E., et al.
(author)
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Post-perihelion photometry of dust grains in the coma of 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko
- 2017
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 469, s. S195-S203
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a photometric analysis of individual dust grains in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko using OSIRIS images taken from 2015 July to 2016 January. We analysed a sample of 555 taken during 18 d at heliocentric distances ranging between 1.25 and 2.04 au and at nucleocentric distances between 80 and 437 km. An automated method to detect the tracks was specifically developed. The images were taken by OSIRIS NAC in four different filters: Near-IR (882 nm), Orange (649 nm), FarOrange (649 nm) and Blue (480 nm). It was not always possible to recognize all the grains in the four filters, hence we measured the spectral slope in two wavelengths ranges: in the interval [480-649] nm, for 1179 grains, and in the interval [649-882] nm, for 746 grains. We studied the evolution of the two populations' average spectral slopes. The data result scattered around the average value in the range [480-649] nm, while in the [649-882] nm we observe a slight decreasing moving away from the Sun as well as a slight increasing with the nucleocentric distance. A spectrophotometric analysis was performed on a subsample of 339 grains. Three major groups were defined, based on the spectral slope between [535-882] nm: (i) the steep spectra that may be related with organic material, (ii) the spectra with an intermediate slope, likely a mixture of silicates and organics and (iii) flat spectra that may be associated with a high abundance of water ice.
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43. |
- Fulle, Marco, et al.
(author)
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The phase function and density of the dust observed at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
- 2018
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 476:2, s. 2835-2839
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The OSIRIS camera onboard Rosetta measured the phase function of both the coma dust and the nucleus. The two functions have a very different slope versus the phase angle. Here, we show that the nucleus phase function should be adopted to convert the brightness to the size of dust particles larger than 2.5 mm only. This makes the dust bursts observed close to Rosetta by OSIRIS, occurring about every hour, consistent with the fragmentation on impact with Rosetta of parent particles, whose flux agrees with the dust flux observed by GIADA. OSIRIS also measured the antisunward acceleration of the fragments, thus providing the first direct measurement of the solar radiation force acting on the dust fragments and thus of their bulk density, excluding any measurable rocket effect by the ice sublimation from the dust. The obtained particle density distribution has a peak matching the bulk density of most COSIMA particles, and represents a subset of the density distribution measured by GIADA. This implies a bias in the elemental abundances measured by COSIMA, which thus are consistent with the 67P dust mass fractions inferred by GIADA, i.e. (38 +/- 8) per cent of hydrocarbons versus the (62 +/- 8) per cent of sulphides and silicates.
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44. |
- Giacomini, L., et al.
(author)
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Geologic mapping of the Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko's Northern hemisphere
- 2016
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 462, s. S352-S369
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS), the scientific imaging system onboard the Rosetta mission, has been acquiring images of the nucleus of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko since 2014 August with a resolution which allows a detailed analysis of its surface. Indeed, data reveal a complex surface morphology which is likely the expression of different processes which occurred at different times on the cometary nucleus. In order to characterize these different morphologies and better understand their distribution, we performed a geologic mapping of comet's 67P Northern hemisphere in which features have been distinguished based on their morphological, textural and stratigraphic characteristics. For this purpose, we used narrow-angle camera images acquired in 2014 August and September with a spatial scale ranging from 1.2 to 2.4 m pixel(-1). Several different geologic units have been identified on the basis of their different surface textures, granulometry and morphology. Some of these units are distinctive and localized, whereas others are more common and distributed all over the Northern hemisphere. Moreover, different types of linear features have been distinguished on the basis of their morphology. Some of these lineaments have never been observed before on a comet and can offer important clues on the internal structures of the nucleus itself. The geologic mapping results presented here will allow us to better understand the processes which affected the nucleus' surface and thus the origin and evolutionary history of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
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45. |
- Gicquel, A., et al.
(author)
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Sublimation of icy aggregates in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko detected with the OSIRIS cameras on board Rosetta
- 2016
-
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 462, s. S57-S66
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Beginning in 2014 March, the OSIRIS (Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System) cameras began capturing images of the nucleus and coma (gas and dust) of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko using both the wide angle camera (WAC) and the narrow angle camera (NAC). The many observations taken since July of 2014 have been used to study the morphology, location, and temporal variation of the comet's dust jets. We analysed the dust monitoring observations shortly after the southern vernal equinox on 2015 May 30 and 31 with the WAC at the heliocentric distance R-h = 1.53 AU, where it is possible to observe that the jet rotates with the nucleus. We found that the decline of brightness as a function of the distance of the jet is much steeper than the background coma, which is a first indication of sublimation. We adapted a model of sublimation of icy aggregates and studied the effect as a function of the physical properties of the aggregates (composition and size). The major finding of this paper was that through the sublimation of the aggregates of dirty grains (radius a between 5 and 50 mu m) we were able to completely reproduce the radial brightness profile of a jet beyond 4 km from the nucleus. To reproduce the data, we needed to inject a number of aggregates between 8.5 x 10(13) and 8.5 x 10(10) for a = 5 and 50 mu m, respectively, or an initial mass of H2O ice around 22 kg.
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46. |
- Groussin, O., et al.
(author)
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Gravitational slopes, geomorphology, and material strengths of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from OSIRIS observations
- 2015
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 583
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims. We study the link between gravitational slopes and the surface morphology on the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and provide constraints on the mechanical properties of the cometary material (tensile, shear, and compressive strengths). Methods. We computed the gravitational slopes for five regions on the nucleus that are representative of the different morphologies observed on the surface (Imhotep, Ash, Seth, Hathor, and Agilkia), using two shape models computed from OSIRIS images by the stereo-photoclinometry (SPC) and stereo-photogrammetry (SPG) techniques. We estimated the tensile, shear, and compressive strengths using different surface morphologies (overhangs, collapsed structures, boulders, cliffs, and Philae's footprint) and mechanical considerations. Results. The different regions show a similar general pattern in terms of the relation between gravitational slopes and terrain morphology: i) low-slope terrains (0-20 degrees) are covered by a fine material and contain a few large (>10 m) and isolated boulders; ii) intermediate-slope terrains (20-45 degrees) are mainly fallen consolidated materials and debris fields, with numerous intermediate-size boulders from <1m to 10m for the majority of them; and iii) high-slope terrains (45-90 degrees) are cliffs that expose a consolidated material and do not show boulders or fine materials. The best range for the tensile strength of overhangs is 3-15 Pa (upper limit of 150 Pa), 4-30 Pa for the shear strength of fine surface materials and boulders, and 30-150 Pa for the compressive strength of overhangs (upper limit of 1500 Pa). The strength-to-gravity ratio is similar for 67P and weak rocks on Earth. As a result of the low compressive strength, the interior of the nucleus may have been compressed sufficiently to initiate diagenesis, which could have contributed to the formation of layers. Our value for the tensile strength is comparable to that of dust aggregates formed by gravitational instability and tends to favor a formation of comets by the accrection of pebbles at low velocities.
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47. |
- Groussin, O., et al.
(author)
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Temporal morphological changes in the Imhotep region of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
- 2015
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 583
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims. We report on the first major temporal morphological changes observed on the surface of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in the smooth terrains of the Imhotep region. Methods. We used images of the OSIRIS cameras onboard Rosetta to follow the temporal changes from 24 May 2015 to 11 July 2015. Results. The morphological changes observed on the surface are visible in the form of roundish features that are growing in size from a given location in a preferential direction at a rate of 5.6-8.1 x 10(-5) m s(-1) during the observational period. The location where the changes started and the contours of the expanding features are bluer than the surroundings, which suggests that ices (H2O and/or CO2) are exposed on the surface. However, sublimation of ices alone is not sufficient to explain the observed expanding features. No significant variations in the dust activity pattern are observed during the period of changes.
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48. |
- Gutierrez, P. J., et al.
(author)
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Possible interpretation of the precession of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
- 2016
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 590
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. Data derived from the reconstruction of the nucleus shape of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P) from images of the OSIRIS camera onboard ROSETTA show evidence that the nucleus rotates in complex mode. First, the orientation of the spin axis is not fixed in an inertial reference frame, which suggests a precessing motion around the angular momentum vector with a periodicity of approximately 257 h +/- 12 h. Second, periodograms of the right ascension and declination (RA/Dec) coordinates of the body-frame Z axis show a very significant (higher than 99.99%) periodicity at 276 h +/- 12 h, different from the rotational period of 12.40 h as previously determined from light-curve analysis. Aims. The main goal is to interpret the data and associated periodicities of the spin axis orientation in space. Methods. We analyzed the spin axis orientation in space and associated periodicities and compared them with solutions of Euler equations under the assumption that the body rotates in torque-free conditions. Statistical tests comparing the observationally derived spin axis orientation with the outcome from simulations were applied to determine the most likely inertia moments, excitation level, and periods. Results. Under the assumption that the body is solid-rigid and rotates in torque-free conditions, the most likely interpretation is that 67P is spinning around the principal axis with the highest inertia moment with a period of about 13 h. At the same time, the comet precesses around the angular momentum vector with a period of about 6.35 h. While the rotating period of such a body would be about 12.4 h, RA/Dec coordinates of the spin axis would have a periodicity of about 270 h as a result of the combination of the two aforementioned motions. Conclusions. The most direct and simple interpretation of the complex rotation of 67P requires a ratio of inertia moments significantly higher than that of a homogeneous body.
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49. |
- Höfner, S., et al.
(author)
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Thermophysics of fractures on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
- 2017
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 608
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. The camera OSIRIS on board Rosetta obtained high-resolution images of the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P). Great parts of the nucleus surface are composed of fractured terrain.Aims. Fracture formation, evolution, and their potential relationship to physical processes that drive activity are not yet fully understood. Observed temperatures and gas production rates can be explained or interpreted with the presence of fractures by applying appropriate modelling methods.Methods. We followed a transient thermophysical model approach that includes radiative, conductive, and water-ice sublimation fluxes by considering a variety of heliocentric distances, illumination conditions, and thermophysical properties for a set of characteristic fracture geometries on the nucleus of 67P. We computed diurnal temperatures, heat fluxes, and outgassing behaviour in order to derive and distinguish the influence of the mentioned parameters on fractured terrain.Results. Our analysis confirms that fractures, as already indicated by former studies about concavities, deviate from flat-terrain topographies with equivalent properties, mostly through the effect of self-heating. Compared to flat terrain, illuminated cometary fractures are generally warmer, with smaller diurnal temperature fluctuations. Maximum sublimation rates reach higher peaks, and dust mantle quenching effects on sublimation rates are weaker. Consequently, the rough structure of the fractured terrain leads to significantly higher inferred surface thermal inertia values than for flat areas with identical physical properties, which might explain the range of measured thermal inertia on 67P.Conclusions. At 3.5 AU heliocentric distance, sublimation heat sinks in fractures converge to maximum values >50 W / m2 and trigger dust activity that can be related mainly to H2O. Fractures are likely to grow through the erosive interplay of alternating sublimation and thermal fatigue.
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50. |
- Johansson, Linda C, 1983, et al.
(author)
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Structure of a photosynthetic reaction centre determined by serial femtosecond crystallography.
- 2013
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In: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serial femtosecond crystallography is an X-ray free-electron-laser-based method with considerable potential to have an impact on challenging problems in structural biology. Here we present X-ray diffraction data recorded from microcrystals of the Blastochloris viridis photosynthetic reaction centre to 2.8Å resolution and determine its serial femtosecond crystallography structure to 3.5Å resolution. Although every microcrystal is exposed to a dose of 33MGy, no signs of X-ray-induced radiation damage are visible in this integral membrane protein structure.
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