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Updated: Sep 22, 2025
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Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
Published on: July 1, 2019
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COSAC's Only Gas Chromatogram Taken on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Guillaume Leseigneur1, Jan Hendrik Bredehöft2, Thomas Gautier3,4
1Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR 7272, Institut de Chimie de Nice, 28 Avenue Valrose, 06108, Nice, France.
Chempluschem
|May 24, 2022
Summary
Philae
Area of Science:
- * Planetary Science and Astrobiology
- * Analytical Chemistry in Space Exploration
Background:
- * The Rosetta mission's Philae lander experienced a non-nominal landing on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
- * Limited battery power necessitated immediate instrument operation post-landing.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To analyze data from the COSAC gas chromatograph instrument, collected shortly after Philae's landing.
- * To investigate potential signals, including ethylene glycol, despite an unsuccessful drilling attempt.
Main Methods:
- * Performed an automated search for subtle deviations from background noise in the COSAC data.
- * Analyzed gas chromatogram data from Philae's brief operational window.
Main Results:
- * The COSAC instrument executed its measurements nominally, despite the lander's compromised position and failed drilling.
- * An inconclusive signal possibly indicating ethylene glycol at m/z 31 was detected.
Conclusions:
- * The study demonstrates the successful operation of an analytical chemistry laboratory on a comet nucleus.
- * The findings offer optimism for future in-situ analysis in cometary and space exploration.
- * Further investigation is needed to confirm the presence of ethylene glycol.
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