Birth of a comet magnetosphere: A spring of water ions
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Accepted version
Supporting information
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The Rosetta mission shall accompany comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from a heliocentric distance of >3.6 astronomical units through perihelion passage at 1.25 astronomical units, spanning low and maximum activity levels. Initially, the solar wind permeates the thin comet atmosphere formed from sublimation, until the size and plasma pressure of the ionized atmosphere define its boundaries: A magnetosphere is born. Using the Rosetta Plasma Consortium ion composition analyzer, we trace the evolution from the first detection of water ions to when the atmosphere begins repelling the solar wind (~3.3 astronomical units), and we report the spatial structure of this early interaction. The near-comet water population comprises accelerated ions (<800 electron volts), produced upstream of Rosetta, and lower energy locally produced ions; we estimate the fluxes of both ion species and energetic neutral atoms.
Date Issued
2015-01-23
Date Acceptance
2014-12-19
Citation
Science, 2015, 347 (6220)
ISSN
0036-8075
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Journal / Book Title
Science
Volume
347
Issue
6220
Copyright Statement
© 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council [2006-2012]
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000348225800033&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
ST/K001051/1
ST/K001698/1
ST/H004262/1
ST/K001051/1
ST/H002383/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
ROSETTA PLASMA CONSORTIUM
SOLAR-WIND INTERACTION
HALLEY
RPC
67P/CHURYUMOV-GERASIMENKO
ENVIRONMENT
PLANETS
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN aaa0571