Journal of Astrobiology & Outreach

Wickramasinghe NC

Publications

• Review Article
  Rosetta Images of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko: Inferences from Its Terrain and Structure
  Author(s): Wallis MK and Wickramasinghe NCWallis MK and Wickramasinghe NC
  
  The Rosetta mission has given us remarkable images of comet 67P/C-G both from the orbiter, and recently from the Philae lander during its brief days before running out of power. Though its crust is very black, there are several indicators of an underlying icy morphology. Comet 67P displays smooth, planar ‘seas’ (the largest 600 m x 800 m) and flat-bottomed craters, both features seen also on comet Tempel-1. Comet 67P’s surface is peppered with mega-boulders (10-70 km) like comet Hartley-2, while parallel furrowed terrain appears as a new ice feature. The largest sea (‘Cheops’ Sea, 600 x 800 m) curves around one lobe of the 4 km diameter comet, and the crater lakes extending to ~150 m across are re-frozen bodies of water overlain with organic-rich debris (sublimation lag) of order 10 cm. The parallel furrows relate to flexing of the asymmetric and spi.. View More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2332-2519.1000127

  Abstract PDF