FPU-24:‭ Understanding cometary activity from their dynamics ‭and dust emission

Comets are among the most primordial objects in the Solar System and their study gives direct‬ ‭insights into the era of planet formation. Cometary activity includes the ejection of dust and gas‬ ‭from the surface, as well as a corresponding non-gravitational force and torque that can change‬ ‭the trajectory and rotation of the comet. Studying cometary dynamics therefore allows us to‬ ‭better understand the activity, the detailed mechanisms of which are still not well understood,‬ ‭even after ESA’s Rosetta mission studied comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in detail. In‬ ‭order to prepare for the next comet mission, Comet Interceptor (CI), which is set to fly in 2029,‬ ‭further analysis of existing spacecraft and ground-based data on comet non-gravitational effects ‭and dust ejection, alongside computer modelling, will be vital for understanding activity. The‬ ‭proposed project will do this by taking advantage of the participation of IAA-CSIC in both the‬ ‭Rosetta and CI missions alongside local expertise on the topics of thermal modelling and‬ ‭non-gravitational dynamics, as well as external collaborations with colleagues in Germany (TU‬ ‭Braunschweig) and France (Observatoire de Côte d’Azur, Nice).