ROMAP: Rosetta Magnetometer and Plasma Monitor

• DOI: 10.1007/s11214-006-9033-x
• Publication Date: 2007-02-02T19:52:11Z
• Authors: H. U. Auster; I. Apathy; G. Berghofer; A. Remizov; R. Roll; K. H. Fornacon; K. H. Glassmeier; G. Haerendel; I. Hejja; E. Kührt; W. Magnes; D. Moehlmann; U. Motschmann; I. Richter; H. Rosenbauer; C. T. Russell; J. Rustenbach; K. Sauer; K. Schwingenschuh; I. Szemerey; R. Waesch
• Keywords: Faraday cage; Analyser; Exosphere

The scientific objectives, design and capabilities of the Rosetta Lander’s ROMAP instrument are presented. ROMAP’s main scientific goals are longterm magnetic field and plasma measurements of the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in order to study cometary activity as a function of heliocentric distance, and measurements during the Lander’s descent to investigate the structure of the comet’s remanent magnetisation. The ROMAP fluxgate magnetometer, electrostatic analyser and Faraday cup measure the magnetic field from 0 to 32 Hz, ions of up to 8000 keV and electrons of up to 4200 keV. Additional two types of pressure sensors – Penning and Minipirani – cover a pressure range from 10−8 to 101 mbar. ROMAP’s sensors and electronics are highly integrated, as required by a combined field/plasma instrument with less than 1 W power consumption and 1 kg mass.