Fractured boulders in Imhotep - OSIRIS-NAC
Date: 08 November 2015
Satellite: Rosetta
Depicts: Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Copyright: See below
Large, fractured boulders in the Imhotep region are surrounded by material that appears to have split from the boulders, possibly as a result of fracturing caused by thermal stress. By studying the size distribution of boulders scientists can investigate how the comet surface evolved over time.
These images were taken with the OSIRIS narrow angle camera on 29 November 2014 (top) and 22 October 2014) bottom.
Further details can be found in "Size-frequency distribution of boulders ≥ 7 m on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko" by M. Pajola et al., doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201525975, published in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
More images of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko can be found in the '67P - by Rosetta' collection.
Credit: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA
