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Elemental compositions of comet 81P/Wild 2 samples collected by Stardust
George J Flynn1, Pierre Bleuet, Janet Borg
1Department of Physics, State University of New York at Plattsburgh, 101 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901, USA. george.flynn@plattsburgh.edu
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|December 16, 2006
Summary
Stardust mission data reveals comet 81P/Wild 2 particles are chemically diverse. Their elemental composition aligns with solar system models for most elements, but shows enrichment in copper, zinc, and gallium.
Area of Science:
- Cosmochemistry
- Planetary Science
- Cometary Science
Background:
- Comets are remnants from the early solar system, offering insights into its composition.
- The Stardust mission collected samples from comet 81P/Wild 2 to analyze its material.
- Understanding cometary elemental composition helps refine models of solar system formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the elemental composition of comet 81P/Wild 2 dust particles.
- To compare the cometary material's composition with existing solar system composition models (CI meteorites).
- To identify any significant elemental depletions or enrichments in the cometary samples.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of elemental composition of 23 aerogel-trapped particles and 7 crater residues from comet 81P/Wild 2.
- Utilized material collected by the Stardust spacecraft during its passage through the comet's coma.
- Investigated chemical heterogeneity at the scale of approximately 180 nanograms.
Main Results:
- Cometary particles exhibit chemical heterogeneity.
- Mean elemental composition is consistent with CI meteorite composition for Mg, Si, Mn, Fe, Ni (within 35%) and Ca, Ti (within 60%).
- Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), and Gallium (Ga) are found to be enriched in the Wild 2 material compared to CI meteorites.
Conclusions:
- Cometary material from 81P/Wild 2 provides a unique sample of early solar system material.
- The observed enrichment of Cu, Zn, and Ga suggests that CI meteorites may not accurately represent the solar system's bulk composition for these moderately volatile minor elements.
- Further analysis is needed to refine our understanding of the abundance of moderately volatile elements in the solar system.
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