The Philae lander has detected organic molecules on the surface of its comet, scientists have confirmed.
Carbon-containing “organics” are the basis of life on Earth and may give clues to chemical ingredients delivered to our planet early in its history.
The compounds were picked up by a German-built instrument designed to “sniff” the comet’s thin atmosphere. Other analyses suggest the comet’s surface is largely water-ice covered with a thin dust layer.
The European Space Agency (Esa) craft touched down on the Comet 67P on 12 November after a 10-year journey.
Dr Fred Goessmann, principal investigator on the Cosac instrument, which made the organics detection, confirmed the find to BBC News. But he added that the team was still trying to interpret the results.
It has not been disclosed which molecules have been found, or how complex they are.
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There’s a trade off – once it gets too hot, Philae will die as well. There is a sweet spot†Prof Mark McCaughrean Senior science adviser, Esa. The results are likely to provide insights into the possible role of comets in contributing some of the chemical building blocks to the primordial mix from which life evolved on the early Earth.
Preliminary results from the Mupus instrument, which deployed a hammer to the comet after Philae’s landing, suggest there is a layer of dust 10-20cm thick on the surface with very hard water-ice underneath.
The ice would be frozen solid at temperatures encountered in the outer Solar System – Mupus data suggest this layer has a tensile strength similar to sandstone.
“It’s within a very broad spectrum of ice models. It was harder than expected at that location, but it’s still within bounds,” said Prof Mark McCaughrean, senior science adviser to Esa, told BBC News.
“People will be playing with [mathematical] models of pure water-ice mixed with certain amount of dust.”
The Organic Detector on Philae
COSAC – Cometary Sampling and Composition Experiment
COSAC is one of two gas analyzers on board the lander Philae.
Science Objectives: The instrument is designed to identify organic compounds in the material from the nucleus of comet 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
A large part of cometary material consists of organic matter (i.e. carbonic compounds) and water. At the time when the Earth was formed, the planet was most likely much too hot to bind such volatile molecules. It is therefore probable that at least part of the materials that were decisive for Earth’s chemical and biological evolution were carried to Earth much later by comets. These very old bodies therefore play a decisive role in the development of life.
COSAC is destined to obtain information on the composition of volatile compounds from the comet’s nucleus and thus contribute to a deeper understanding of the history of life.
Instrument: COSAC consists of a gas chromatograph (GC) and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) as well as the necessary auxiliary systems to operate both. Soil samples are filled into ovens with the help of a drill. These ovens are then sealed and heated. The gas that is created in this way is then delivered to the CG, the MS, and a combination of both for measurements.
COSAC was developed and built under the leadership of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research. Partners are the das Laboratoire Inter-universitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (Paris), the Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (Paris), and the University of Gießen.
Philae Detected Organic Molecules On Comet
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