SNSF | P3 Research Database | Publication A comparison between the two lobes of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko based on D/H ratios in H2O measured with the Rosetta/ROSINA DFMS

A comparison between the two lobes of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko based on D/H ratios in H2O measured with the Rosetta/ROSINA DFMS

Type of publication	Peer-reviewed
Publikationsform	Original article (peer-reviewed)

Author	Schroeder Isaac R H G, Altwegg Kathrin, Balsiger Hans, Berthelier Jean-Jacques, Combi Michael R, De Keyser Johan, Fiethe Björn, Fuselier Stephen A, Gombosi Tamas I, Hansen Kenneth C, Rubin Martin, Shou Yinsi, Tenishev Valeriy M, Sémon Thierry, Wampfler Susanne F, Wurz Peter,
Project	Investigation of the Solar System with in situ Mass Spectrometry

Original article (peer-reviewed)

Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume (Issue)	489(4)
Page(s)	4734 - 4740
Title of proceedings	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
DOI	10.1093/mnras/stz2482

Open Access

URL	https://boris.unibe.ch/132006/
Type of Open Access	Repository (Green Open Access)

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe nucleus of the Jupiter-family comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko was discovered to be bi-lobate in shape when the European Space Agency spacecraft Rosetta first approached it in 2014 July. The bi-lobate structure of the cometary nucleus has led to much discussion regarding the possible manner of its formation and on how the composition of each lobe might compare with that of the other. During its two-year-long mission from 2014 to 2016, Rosetta remained in close proximity to 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, studying its coma and nucleus in situ. Based on lobe-specific measurements of HDO and H2O performed with the ROSINA Double Focusing Mass Spectrometer (DFMS) on board Rosetta, the deuterium-to-hydrogen (D/H) ratios in water from the two lobes can be compared. No appreciable difference was observed, suggesting that both lobes formed in the same region and are homogeneous in their D/H ratios.