Complex aromatic hydrocarbons in Stardust samples collected from comet 81P/Wild 2

Clemett, S. J.; Sandford, Scott A.; Nakamura‐Messenger, K.; Hörz, Friedrich; McKay, D. S.

doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01062.x

Cited by 57 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 82 publications

(119 reference statements)

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“…And yet somehow they all got together in the comet formation zone. The population of organics found in the samples are distinct from those seen in primitive meteorites and IDPs, but some show similarities to both (Sandford et al 2006;Cody et al 2008;Matrajt et al 2008;Rotundi et al 2008;Clemett et al 2010). The organics are very rich in both oxygen and nitrogen and contain a diverse set of both aromatic and non-aromatic compounds.…”

Section: Highlights From Studies Of the Returned Comet Wild 2 Samplesmentioning

confidence: 80%

The Power of Sample Return Missions - Stardust and Hayabusa

Sandford¹

2011

Proc. IAU

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Abstract. Sample return missions offer opportunities to learn things about other objects in our Solar System (and beyond) that cannot be determined by observations using in situ spacecraft. This is largely because the returned samples can be studied in terrestrial laboratories where the analyses are not limited by the constraints -power, mass, time, precision, etc. -imposed by normal spacecraft operations. In addition, the returned samples serve as a scientific resource that is available far into the future; the study of the samples can continue long after the original spacecraft mission is finished. This means the samples can be continually revisited as both our scientific understanding and analytical techniques improve with time.These advantages come with some additional difficulties, however. In particular, sample return missions must deal with the additional difficulties of proximity operations near the objects they are to sample, and they must be capable of successfully making a round trip between the Earth and the sampled object. Such missions therefore need to take special precautions against unique hazards and be designed to successfully complete relatively extended mission durations.Despite these difficulties, several recent missions have managed to successfully complete sample returns from a number of Solar System objects. These include the Stardust mission (samples from Comet 81P/Wild 2), the Hayabusa mission (samples from asteroid 25143 Itokawa), and the Genesis mission (samples of solar wind). This paper will review the advantages and difficulties of sample return missions in general and will summarize some key findings of the recent Stardust and Hayabusa missions.

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Section: Highlights From Studies Of the Returned Comet Wild 2 Samplesmentioning

confidence: 80%

The Power of Sample Return Missions - Stardust and Hayabusa

Sandford¹

2011

Proc. IAU

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“…In regions where the volatiles condensed to form ices in the outer parts of the proto-planetary nebula, these particles could have served as condensation nuclei, acquiring icy mantles, perhaps with distinct regional compositions very different from the mix of ices prevalent in the presolar cloud. Small carbonaceous particles and ices were likely the main solid ingredients from which planetesimals accreted in the outer proto-planetary nebula although comet samples retrieved by the Stardust mission also contain silicates and sulfides as significant components (Sandford et al 2006;Sandford 2008;Clemett et al 2010). At visible wavelengths, the addition of colorless ice to otherwise dark organic material can dramatically increase the redness as well as the reflectance, if they are mixed at spatial scales of the order of the wavelength or less (Grundy & Stansberry 2003;Grundy 2009).…”

Section: Sub-micron Organic Particles and Their Possible Influence Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, it is possible that PAHs formed as a result of the high temperature exposure, which would vouch for "nurture" rather than "nature". A fraction of cometary PAHs containing N atoms in the form of aromatic nitriles represent a significant difference from meteorite organics (Clemett et al 2010). Both O and N atoms are found in a variety of bonding states, while some particles contain abundant C atoms that are not in aromatic structures (Sandford 2008).…”

Section: Organic Molecules In Cometary Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is of additional interest because this richly organic molecular material can be dispersed in both the inner and outer solar system as a consequence of the dynamical properties of comets. Refractory components of comet dust (organic solids plus minerals) have been collected by aircraft in the stratosphere (a component of interplanetary dust particles, as described above), and by the Stardust spacecraft during its encounter with 81P/Wild 2 (Sandford et al 2006;Sandford 2008;Clemett et al 2010).…”

Section: Organic Molecules In Cometary Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Organic materials in planetary and protoplanetary systems: nature or nurture?

Ore

Fulchignoni

Cruikshank

et al. 2011

A&A

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Aims. The objective of this work is to summarize the discussion of a workshop aimed at investigating the properties, origins, and evolution of the materials that are responsible for the red coloration of the small objects in the outer parts of the solar system. Because of limitations or inconsistencies in the observations and, until recently, the limited availability of laboratory data, there are still many questions on the subject. Our goal is to approach two of the main questions in a systematic way: -Is coloring an original signature of materials that are presolar in origin ("nature") or stems from post-formational chemical alteration, or weathering ("nurture")? -What is the chemical signature of the material that causes spectra to be sloped towards the red in the visible? We examine evidence available both from the laboratory and from observations sampling different parts of the solar system and circumstellar regions (disks). Methods. We present a compilation of brief summaries gathered during the workshop and describe the evidence towards a primordial vs. evolutionary origin for the material that reddens the small objects in the outer parts of our, as well as in other, planetary systems. We proceed by first summarizing laboratory results followed by observational data collected at various distances from the Sun. Results. While laboratory experiments show clear evidence of irradiation effects, particularly from ion bombardment, the first obstacle often resides in the ability to unequivocally identify the organic material in the observations. The lack of extended spectral data of good quality and resolution is at the base of this problem. Furthermore, that both mechanisms, weathering and presolar, act on the icy materials in a spectroscopically indistinguishable way makes our goal of defining the impact of each mechanism challenging. Conclusions. Through a review of some of the workshop presentations and discussions, encompassing laboratory experiments as well as observational data, we infer that both "nature" and "nurture" are instrumental in the coloration of small objects in the outer parts Article published by EDP Sciences A98, page 1 of 14 A&A 533, A98 (2011) of the solar system. While in the case of some observations it is clear that the organic reddening material originated before the solar nebula (i.e. presolar grains found in meteorites), for many other cases pointers are not as clear and indicate a concurrence of both processes.

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“…These laboratory studies show the highly heterogeneous nature of the collected cometary grains and reveal an interesting distribution of organic material, including the detection of amide, carboxy, and alcohol/ethers groups (e.g., Cody et al 2008;Clemett et al 2010) and the amino acid glycine . While concerns remain as to the organic purity of the aerogel collection medium and the thermal effects associated with hypervelocity capture, the majority of the observed organic species appear indigenous to the impacting particles and are hence of cometary origin.…”

Section: Protoplanetary Disksmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of recent advances in laboratory astrophysics on our understanding of the cosmos

et al. 2012

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Abstract. An emerging theme in modern astrophysics is the connection between astronomical observations and the underlying physical phenomena that drive our cosmos. Both the mechanisms responsible for the observed astrophysical phenomena and the tools used to probe such phenomena -the radiation and particle spectra we observe -have their roots in atomic, molecular, condensed matter, plasma, nuclear and particle physics. Chemistry is implicitly included in both molecular and condensed matter physics. This connection is the theme of the present report, which provides a broad, though non-exhaustive, overview of progress in our understanding of the cosmos resulting from recent theoretical and experimental advances in what is commonly called laboratory astrophysics. This work, carried out by a diverse community of laboratory astrophysicists, is increasingly important as astrophysics transitions into an era of precise measurement and high fidelity modeling.

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Complex aromatic hydrocarbons in Stardust samples collected from comet 81P/Wild 2

Cited by 57 publications

References 82 publications

The Power of Sample Return Missions - Stardust and Hayabusa

The Power of Sample Return Missions - Stardust and Hayabusa

Organic materials in planetary and protoplanetary systems: nature or nurture?

The impact of recent advances in laboratory astrophysics on our understanding of the cosmos

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