The nucleus of Comet 9P/Tempel 1: Shape and geology from two flybys

► Tempel 1 has two types of terrain, rough pitted and smoother, flow-like materials. ► The smooth materials are collected in low regions. ► Changes observed between the Deep Impact and Stardust-NExT encounters involve scarp retreat. ► Timescales for formation of the surface’s topography appear to be tens to perhaps hundreds of orbits. The nucleus of comet Tempel 1 has been investigated at close range during two spacecraft missions separated by one comet orbit of the Sun, 5½years. The combined imaging covers ∼70% of the surface of this object which has a mean radius of 2.83±0.1km. The surface can be divided into two terrain types: rough, pitted terrain and smoother regions of varying local topography. The rough surface has round depressions from resolution limits (∼10m/pixel) up to ∼1km across, spanning forms from crisp steep-walled pits, to subtle albedo rings, to topographic rings, with all ranges of morphologic gradation. Three gravitationally low regions of the comet have smoother terrain, parts of which appear to be deposits from minimally modified flows, with other parts likely to be heavily eroded portions of multiple layer piles. Changes observed between the two missions are primarily due to backwasting of scarps bounding one of these probable flow deposits. This style of erosion is also suggested by remnant mesa forms in other areas of smoother terrain. The two distinct terrains suggest either an evolutionary change in processes, topographically-controlled processes, or a continuing interaction of erosion and deposition.