Probable detection of organic-dust-borne aromatic C3H3+ ions in the coma of comet Halley

Korth, A.; Marconi, M. L.; Mendis, D. A.; Krueger, F. R.; Richter, A. K.; Lin, R. P.; Mitchell, David; Anderson, K. A.; Carlson, C. W.; Rème, H.; Sauvaud, J. A.; d’Uston, C.

doi:10.1038/337053a0

Cited by 52 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…For the in-situ mass-spectrometric measurements (Huebner, 1987;Kissel and Krueger, 1987;Krueger and Kissel, 1987;Huebner et al, 1989;Korth et al, 1989;Krueger et al, 1991) of the coma of comet Halley, the problems were firstly the low resolution and the low maximum molecular mass number limit of the instruments employed and secondly the nature of the samples: they were not only processed by evaporation from the comet but also by irradiation from the Sun and solar wind interaction. This increased the difficulties in determining the molecules originally present in the cometary matter.…”

Section: Scientific Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cosac, The Cometary Sampling and Composition Experiment on Philae

et al. 2006

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Comets are thought to preserve the most pristine material currently present in the solar system, as they are formed by agglomeration of dust particles in the solar nebula, far from the Sun, and their interiors have remained cold. By approaching the Sun, volatile components and dust particles are released forming the cometary coma. During the phase of Heavy Bombardment, 3.8--4 billion years ago, cometary matter was delivered to the Early Earth. Precise knowledge on the physico-chemical composition of comets is crucial to understand the formation of the Solar System, the evolution of Earth and particularly the starting conditions for the origin of life on Earth. Here, we report on the COSAC instrument, part of the ESA cometary mission Rosetta, which is designed to characterize, identify, and quantify volatile cometary compounds, including larger organic molecules, by in situ measurements of surface and subsurface cometary samples. The technical concept of a multi-column enantio-selective gas chromatograph (GC) coupled to a linear reflectron time-of-flight mass-spectrometer instrument is presented together with its realisation under the scientific guidance of the Max-Planck-Institute for Solar System Research in Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany. The instrument's technical data are given; first measurements making use of standard samples are presented. The cometary science community is looking forward to receive fascinating data from COSAC cometary in situ measurements in 2014

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Section: Scientific Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cosac, The Cometary Sampling and Composition Experiment on Philae

et al. 2006

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“…Recently this ion was detected in the coma of comet Halley, its probable origin being the dust particles around the comet [5]. Experimentally, two isomeric structures of C,Hz were observed: the cyclopropenyl (CP) and the propargyl cations [6,7] (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An electronic and vibrational study of the cyclopropenyl ion and its fluoroderivatives

Galembeck

Fausto

1995

Journal of Molecular Structure: THEOCHEM

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This article presents the results of ab initio SCF-MO calculations on both the electronic structure and vibrational spectra of the cyclopropenyl cation (CsH:) and its fluoroderivatives, CjH*F+, C,HFi and CsF:. A very simple and unambiguous criterion for choosing the combination of diffuse and polarization functions which, together with the 6-3 11G basis set, best describes the electron distribution in these ions is presented. The electronic structures of the cations are analysed in detail; particular emphasis is given to the analysis of the electronic effects due to successive hydrogen-byfluorine replacements.The results of vibrational normal mode analysis carried out for all hydrogen-deuterium isotopomers of the studied ions are presented and compared with the available experimental data. The theoretical results are used both to review some band assignments previously proposed for the tluorosubstituted molecules and to give a stronger theoretical foundation to the general interpretation of the vibrational spectra of these compounds,

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“…Carbon suboxide, C302, has been suggested also as a component of the CHON dust (Huntress et aL, 1991). Further analysis of the PICCA data has led to the identification of C3H + , C3H3 + (cyclopropenyl, Korth et aL, 1989), and H3 S+ (Marconi et al, 1990). These authors argue that the dominant sources of these ions are the CHON particles, although the specific parents of these ions remain open to conjecture.…”

Section: The Chon Particlesmentioning

confidence: 92%

Comets as a possible source of prebiotic molecules

Huebner

Boice

1991

Origins Life Evol Biosphere

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Abstract. Prebiotic molecules derive from abiotic organic molecules, radicals, and ions that pervade the universe at temperatures as high as several 1000 K. Here we review the role of organic molecules that condensed at low temperatures before or during comet formation in the early history of the Solar System. Recent spacecraft encounters and ground-based observations of carbon-rich volatile and dust components of comet comae provide a broad database for the investigation of these organic molecules, New laboratory data for some potential cometary organics are presented. Probable icy organic constituents of the nucleus and CHON particles as likely candidates for the distributed sources of gas-phase organic species in the coma are discussed. There is broad agreement that many organic molecules observed in the coma originate from the dust that must have existed in the solar nebula at the time and place of comet formation. We conclude that complex organic molecules found in comets may be a source of prebiotic molecules that led to the origins of life.

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Probable detection of organic-dust-borne aromatic C3H3+ ions in the coma of comet Halley

Cited by 52 publications

References 6 publications

Cosac, The Cometary Sampling and Composition Experiment on Philae

Cosac, The Cometary Sampling and Composition Experiment on Philae

An electronic and vibrational study of the cyclopropenyl ion and its fluoroderivatives

Comets as a possible source of prebiotic molecules

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