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arXiv · 2010.13379

The detection of solid phosphorus and fluorine in the dust from the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Esko Gardner·Harry J. Lehto·Kirsi Lehto·Nicolas Fray·Anaïs Bardyn·Tuomas Lönnberg·Sihane Merouane·Robin Isnard·Hervé Cottin·Martin Hilchenbach
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Abstract

Here, we report the detection of phosphorus and fluorine in solid particles collected from the inner coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko measured with the COmetary Secondary Ion Mass Analyser (COSIMA) instrument on-board the Rosetta spacecraft, only a few kilometers away from the comet nucleus. We have detected phosphorus-containing minerals from the presented COSIMA mass spectra, and can rule out e.g. apatite minerals as the source of phosphorus. This result completes the detection of life-necessary CHNOPS-elements in solid cometary matter, indicating cometary delivery as a potential source of these elements to the young Earth. Fluorine was also detected with CF$^+$ secondary ions originating from the cometary dust.

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Esko Gardner, Harry J. Lehto, Kirsi Lehto, Nicolas Fray, Anaïs Bardyn, Tuomas Lönnberg, Sihane Merouane, Robin Isnard, Hervé Cottin, Martin Hilchenbach. 2020-10-26. The detection of solid phosphorus and fluorine in the dust from the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2Fstaa2950

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