Insight into the origin of cometary ices from Rosetta/ROSINA mass spectrometer data

TL;DR

This paper reviews ROSINA's measurements of comet 67P's gases, revealing complex ices with molecules predating the solar system, providing insights into cometary origins.

Contribution

It offers new insights into the composition and origin of cometary ices based on extensive mass spectrometry data from Rosetta.

Findings

Revealed complex molecular and isotope compositions of comet 67P's ices.

Indicated that some molecules predate the solar system.

Provided detailed elemental and molecular abundance data.

Abstract

Here we review some of the major findings of the mass spectrometer suite ROSINA on board of ESA's Rosetta spacecraft to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. For more than 2 years, ROSINA continuously measured the composition of the gases sublimating from the comet's nucleus. ROSINA measurements provided insight into the origin of the ices in 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The obtained molecular, elemental, and isotope abundances revealed a composition more complex than previously known. Furthermore, a subset of these measurements indicate that a substantial fraction of the molecules incorporated into the comet predate the formation of the solar system.