Rosetta 67P Comet Research Published in “Nature”

The Rosetta, commissioned by the European Space Agency, successfully entered the trajectory of Comet 67P. As the only Asian participant in the science team, Professor Ip Wing-Huen at the Graduate Institute of Astronomy is involved in three science projects, and together with Dr. Lin Zhong-Yi and Earth Sciences Lin Rui-Yi, the international team has sent back observation data for analysis. The analysis is helpful for unprecedented research on the pits and jets on the comet. It is also useful for the discovery of the source of the solar system. The results were published in the July 2nd issue of Nature magazine. The thesis co-published by the Rosetta mission team and the NCU research team, “Large heterogeneities in comet 67P as revealed by active pits from sinkhole collapse” is a study primarily on the systematic research of pits on comet 67P and seeks to uncover the formation and evolution of pits from the jets discovered in the pits. Assistant researcher of the Graduate Institute of Astronomy Dr. Lin also stated that comets always pass by in a flash. Comets are remnants of the formation of the solar system, and one of the astronomical objects subject to the least change. Through research on the physical aspects of the comet structure, the environment of the formation of the solar system may be observed and clues to the formation may be found, allowing insights into the solar system. As a dedicated mentor, Professor Ip expressed that the mission requires over 10 years of flying and waiting, and it is indeed the opportunity of a lifetime. Professor Yeh took over the project from his instructor and passed the project on to his students. Spanning three generations, the project is also a symbol of the importance for scientific legacy.