Classification of comet 67P dust at the nanometre scale with MIDAS on-board Rosetta
Résumé
The properties of the smallest sub-units of cometary dust contain information on their origin and clues to the formation of planetesimals and planets. The MIDAS Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) on-board the ESA Rosetta orbiter collected dust in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. These particles, collected at low velocities, were analysed to measure the structural properties of minimally altered material with a known origin. This can be used to further the investigation of our early Solar System. A novel method is presented to achieve the highest spatial resolution of imaging possible with the MIDAS instrument. 3D topographic images with resolutions of down to 8 nm are analysed to determine the sub-unit sizes of particles on the nanometre scale.
Domaines
Planète et Univers [physics]Origine | Fichiers éditeurs autorisés sur une archive ouverte |
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