The Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator (GIADA) onboard the ROSETTA mission to comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko is devoted to study the cometary dust environment. Thanks to the rendezvous configuration of the mission, GIADA plunged in the dust environment of the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko and since August 2014 till end of September 2016 is exploring the dust flux evolution and grain dynamic properties with position and time. GIADA is giving unique measurements on key parameters that no ground-based observation or fly-by space missions are able to obtain. GIADA is measuring mass/size of individual dust particles larger than about 60 μm in diameter together, their momenta, in the range 6.5 × 10^−10 ÷ 4.0 × 10^−6 kg m s^−1, and velocities up to about 30 m s^−1. For micron/submicron particles the cumulative mass is being measured with a sensitivity 10^−10 g. These performances are suitable to provide a statistically relevant set of data about dust physical and dynamic properties in the dust environment expected for the target comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. GIADA is behaving as expected according to the design specifications.
GIADA - Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator - on board the ESA/Rosetta space mission
ROTUNDI, Alessandra;DELLA CORTE, VINCENZO;PALUMBO, Pasquale;BUSSOLETTI, Ezio;
2010-01-01
Abstract
The Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator (GIADA) onboard the ROSETTA mission to comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko is devoted to study the cometary dust environment. Thanks to the rendezvous configuration of the mission, GIADA plunged in the dust environment of the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko and since August 2014 till end of September 2016 is exploring the dust flux evolution and grain dynamic properties with position and time. GIADA is giving unique measurements on key parameters that no ground-based observation or fly-by space missions are able to obtain. GIADA is measuring mass/size of individual dust particles larger than about 60 μm in diameter together, their momenta, in the range 6.5 × 10^−10 ÷ 4.0 × 10^−6 kg m s^−1, and velocities up to about 30 m s^−1. For micron/submicron particles the cumulative mass is being measured with a sensitivity 10^−10 g. These performances are suitable to provide a statistically relevant set of data about dust physical and dynamic properties in the dust environment expected for the target comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. GIADA is behaving as expected according to the design specifications.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
