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At least 487 records · Page 27
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

THE VOLATILE COMPOSITION OF COMET C/2003 K4 (LINEAR) AT NEAR-IR WAVELENGTHS—COMPARISONS WITH RESULTS FROM THE NANÇAY RADIO TELESCOPE AND FROM THE ODIN, SPITZER, AND SOHO SPACE OBSERVATORIES

We observed comet C/2003 K4 (LINEAR) using NIRSPEC at the Keck Observatory on UT 2004 November 28, when the comet was at 1.28 AU from the Sun (post-perihelion) and 1.38 AU from Earth. We detected six gaseous species (H{sub 2}O, OH*, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, CH{sub 3}OH, CH{sub 4}, and HCN) and obtained upper limits for three others (H{sub 2}CO, C{sub 2}H{sub 2}, and NH{sub 3}). Our results indicate a water production rate of (1.72 ± 0.18) × 10{sup 29} molecules s{sup −1}, in reasonable agreement with production rates from SOHO (on the same day), Odin (one day earlier), and Nançay (about two weeks earlier). We also report abundances (relative to water) for seven trace species: CH{sub 3}OH (∼1.8%), CH{sub 4} (∼0.9%), and C{sub 2}H{sub 6} (∼0.4%) that were consistent with mean values among Oort cloud (OC) comets, while NH{sub 3} (<0.55%), HCN (∼0.07%), H{sub 2}CO (<0.07%), and C{sub 2}H{sub 2} (<0.04%) were “lower” than the mean values in other OC comets. We extracted inner-coma rotational temperatures for four species (H{sub 2}O, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}, CH{sub 3}OH, and CH{sub 4}), all of which are consistent with 70 K (within 1σ). The extracted ortho-para ratio for water was 3.0 ± 0.15, corresponding to spin temperatures larger than 39 K (at the 1σ level) and agreeing with those obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope at the 2σ level.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

IN SITU PLASMA MEASUREMENTS OF FRAGMENTED COMET 73P SCHWASSMANN–WACHMANN 3

The interiors of comets contain some of the most pristine material in the solar system. Comet 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 3, discovered in 1930, is a Jupiter-family comet with a 5.34-year period. This comet split into 5 fragments in 1995 and disintegrated into nearly 70 major pieces in 2006. In 2006 May and June, recently ionized cometary particles originating from fragments including and surrounding some of these major objects were collected with the ACE/SWICS and Wind/STICS sensors. Due to a combination of the instrument characteristics and the close proximity of the fragments passing between those spacecraft and the Sun, unique measurements regarding the charge state composition and the elemental abundances of both cometary and heliospheric plasma were made during that time. The cometary material released from some of these fragments can be identified by the concentrations of water-group pickup ions having a mass-per-charge ratio of 16–18 amu e{sup −1}, indicating that while these fragments are small, they are still actively sublimating. We present an analysis of cometary composition, spatial distribution, and heliospheric interactions, with a focus on helium, C{sup +}/O{sup +}, and water-group ions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

WAS COMET C/1945 X1 (DU TOIT) A DWARF, SOHO-LIKE KREUTZ SUNGRAZER?

The goal of this investigation is to reinterpret and upgrade the astrometric and other data on comet C/1945 X1, the least prominent among the Kreutz system sungrazers discovered from the ground in the twentieth century. The central issue is to appraise the pros and cons of a possibility that this object is—despite its brightness reported at discovery—a dwarf Kreutz sungrazer. We confirm Marsden’s conclusion that C/1945 X1 has a common parent with C/1882 R1 and C/1965 S1, in line with the Sekanina and Chodas scenario of their origin in the framework of the Kreutz system’s evolution. We integrate the orbit of C/1882 R1 back to the early twelfth century and then forward to around 1945 to determine the nominal direction of the line of apsides and perform a Fourier analysis to get insight into effects of the indirect planetary perturbations. To better understand the nature of C/1945 X1, its orbital motion, fate, and role in the hierarchy of the Kreutz system, as well as to attempt detecting the comet’s possible terminal outburst shortly after perihelion and answer the question in the title of this investigation, we closely examined the relevant Boyden Observatory logbooks and identified both the photographs with the comet’s known images and nearly 20 additional patrol plates, taken both before and after perihelion, on which the comet or traces of its debris will be searched for, once the process of their digitization, currently conducted as part of the Harvard College Observatory’s DASCH Project, has been completed and the scanned copies made available to the scientific community.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A HERSCHEL STUDY OF D/H IN WATER IN THE JUPITER-FAMILY COMET 45P/HONDA-MRKOS-PAJDUSAKOVA AND PROSPECTS FOR D/H MEASUREMENTS WITH CCAT

We present Herschel observations of water isotopologues in the atmosphere of the Jupiter-family comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova. No HDO emission is detected, with a 3{sigma} upper limit of 2.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} for the D/H ratio. This value is consistent with the earlier Herschel measurement in the Jupiter-family comet 103P/Hartley 2. The canonical value of 3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} measured pre-Herschel in a sample of Oort-cloud comets can be excluded at a 4.5{sigma} level. The observations presented here further confirm that a diversity of D/H ratios exists in the comet population and emphasize the need for additional measurements with future ground-based facilities, such as CCAT, in the post-Herschel era.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

RELATING CHANGES IN COMETARY ROTATION TO ACTIVITY: CURRENT STATUS AND APPLICATIONS TO COMET C/2012 S1 (ISON)

We introduce a parameter, X, to predict the changes in the rotational period of a comet in terms of the rotational period itself, the nuclear radius, and the orbital characteristics. We show that X should be a constant if the bulk densities and shapes of nuclei are nearly identical and the activity patterns are similar for all comets. For four nuclei for which rotational changes are well documented, despite the nearly factor 30 variation observed among the effective active fractions of these comets, X is constant to within a factor two. We present an analysis for the sungrazing comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) to explore what rotational changes it could undergo during the upcoming perihelion passage where its perihelion distance will be ∼2.7 solar radii. When close to the Sun, barring a catastrophic disruption of the nucleus, the activity of ISON will be sufficiently strong to put the nucleus into a non-principal-axis rotational state and observable changes to the rotational period should also occur. Additional causes for rotational state changes near perihelion for ISON are tidal torques caused by the Sun and the significant mass loss due to a number of mechanisms resulting in alterations to the moments of inertia of the nucleus.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

CHARACTERIZING THE DUST COMA OF COMET C/2012 S1 (ISON) AT 4.15 AU FROM THE SUN

We report results from broadband visible images of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 on 2013 April 10. C/ISON's coma brightness follows a 1/ρ (where ρ is the projected distance from the nucleus) profile out to 5000 km, consistent with a constant speed dust outflow model. The turnaround distance in the sunward direction suggests that the dust coma is composed of sub-micron-sized particles emitted at speeds of tens of m s{sup –1}. A(θ)fρ, which is commonly used to characterize the dust production rate, was 1340 and 1240 cm in the F606W and F438W filters, respectively, in apertures <1.''6 in radius. The dust colors are slightly redder than solar, with a slope of 5.0% ± 0.2% per 100 nm, increasing to >10% per 100 nm 10,000 km down the tail. The colors are similar to those of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) and other long-period comets, but somewhat bluer than typical values for short-period comets. The spatial color variations are also reminiscent of C/Hale-Bopp. A sunward jet is visible in enhanced images, curving to the north and then tailward in the outer coma. The 1.''6 long jet is centered at a position angle of 291°, with an opening angle of ∼45°. The jet morphology remains unchanged over 19 hr of our observations, suggesting that it is near the rotational pole of the nucleus, and implying that the pole points to within 30° of (R.A., decl.) = (330°, 0°). This pole orientation indicates a high obliquity of 50°-80°.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

IMAGING COMET ISON C/2012 S1 IN THE INNER CORONA AT PERIHELION

Much anticipation and speculation were building around comet ISON, or C/2012 S1, discovered on 2012 September 21 by the International Scientific Optical Network telescope in Russia, and bound for the Sun on 2013 November 28, with a closest heliocentric approach distance of 2.7 R {sub ☉}. Here we present the first white light image of the comet's trail through the inner corona. The image was taken with a wide field Lyot-type coronagraph from the Mees Observatory on Haleakala at 19:12 UT, past its perihelion passage at 18:45 UT. The perfect match between the comet's trail captured in the inner corona and the trail that had persisted across the field of view of 2-6 R {sub ☉} of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment/C2 coronagraph at 19:12 UT demonstrates that the comet survived its perihelion passage.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

DELIVERY OF DUST GRAINS FROM COMET C/2013 A1 (SIDING SPRING) TO MARS

Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) will have a close encounter with Mars on 2014 October 19. We model the dynamical evolution of dust grains from the time of their ejection from the comet nucleus to the close encounter with Mars, and determine the flux at Mars. Constraints on the ejection velocity from Hubble Space Telescope observations indicate that the bulk of the grains will likely miss Mars, although it is possible that a few percent of the grains with higher velocities will reach Mars, peaking approximately 90-100 minutes after the close approach of the nucleus, and consisting mostly of millimeter-radius grains ejected from the comet nucleus at a heliocentric distance of approximately 9 AU or larger. At higher velocities, younger grains from submillimeter to several millimeters can also reach Mars, although an even smaller fraction of grains is expected have these velocities, with negligible effect on the peak timing. Using NEOWISE observations of the comet, we can estimate that the maximum fluence will be of the order of 10{sup –7} grains m{sup –2}. We include a detailed analysis of how the expected fluence depends on the grain density, ejection velocity, and size-frequency distribution, to account for current model uncertainties and in preparation of possible refined model values in the near future.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

UNUSUAL WATER PRODUCTION ACTIVITY OF COMET C/2012 S1 (ISON): OUTBURSTS AND CONTINUOUS FRAGMENTATION

The Solar Wind ANisotropies (SWAN) all-sky hydrogen Lyα camera on the SOlar and Heliospheric Observer (SOHO) satellite observed the hydrogen coma of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) for most of the last month of its activity from 2013 October 24 to November 24, ending just 4 days before perihelion and its final disruption. The water production rate of the comet was determined from these observations. SOHO has been operating in a halo orbit around the Earth-Sun L1 Lagrange point since its launch in late 1995. Most water vapor produced by comets is ultimately photodissociated into two H atoms and one O atom producing a huge hydrogen coma that is routinely observed in the daily SWAN images in comets of sufficient brightness. Water production rates were calculated from 22 images over most of the last month of the pre-perihelion apparition. The water production rate increased very slowly on average from October 24.9 until November 12.9, staying between 1.8 and 3.4 × 10{sup 28} s{sup –1}, after which it increased dramatically, reaching 1.6 to 2 × 10{sup 30} s{sup –1} from November 21.6 to 23.6. It was not detected after perihelion on December 3.7 when it should have been visible. We examine the active surface area necessary to explain the water production rate and its variation and are able to place constraints on the physical size of the original nucleus necessary to account for the large amount of activity from November 12.9 and until just before perihelion.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

NEOWISE OBSERVATIONS OF COMET C/2013 A1 (SIDING SPRING) AS IT APPROACHES MARS

The Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission observed comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) three times at 3.4 μm and 4.6 μm as the comet approached Mars in 2014. The comet is an extremely interesting target since its close approach to Mars in late 2014 will be observed by various spacecraft in situ. The observations were taken in 2014 January, July, and September when the comet was at heliocentric distances of 3.82 AU, 1.88 AU, and 1.48 AU. The level of activity increased significantly between the January and July visits but then decreased by the time of the observations in September, approximately four weeks prior to its close approach to Mars. In this work, we calculate Afρ values and CO/CO{sub 2} production rates.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

DUST FROM COMET 209P/LINEAR DURING ITS 2014 RETURN: PARENT BODY OF A NEW METEOR SHOWER, THE MAY CAMELOPARDALIDS

We report a new observation of the Jupiter family comet 209P/LINEAR during its 2014 return. The comet is recognized as a dust source of a new meteor shower, the May Camelopardalids. 209P/LINEAR was apparently inactive at a heliocentric distance r{sub h} = 1.6 AU and showed weak activity at r{sub h} ≤ 1.4 AU. We found an active region of <0.001% of the entire nuclear surface during the comet's dormant phase. An edge-on image suggests that particles up to 1 cm in size (with an uncertainty of factor 3-5) were ejected following a differential power-law size distribution with index q = –3.25 ± 0.10. We derived a mass-loss rate of 2-10 kg s{sup –1} during the active phase and a total mass of ≈5 × 10{sup 7} kg during the 2014 return. The ejection terminal velocity of millimeter- to centimeter-sized particles was 1-4 m s{sup –1}, which is comparable to the escape velocity from the nucleus (1.4 m s{sup –1}). These results imply that such large meteoric particles marginally escaped from the highly dormant comet nucleus via the gas drag force only within a few months of the perihelion passage.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Debiasing the NEOWISE Cryogenic Mission Comet Populations

We use NEOWISE data from the four-band and three-band cryogenic phases of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission to constrain size distributions of the comet populations and debias measurements of the short- and long-period comet (LPC) populations. We find that the fit to the debiased LPC population yields a cumulative size−frequency distribution (SFD) power-law slope (β) of −1.0 ± 0.1, while the debiased Jupiter-family comet (JFC) SFD has a steeper slope with β = −2.3 ± 0.2. The JFCs in our debiased sample yielded a mean nucleus size of 1.3 km in diameter, while the LPCs’ mean size is roughly twice as large, 2.1 km, yielding mean size ratios (〈D{sub LPC}〉/〈D{sub JFC}〉) that differ by a factor of 1.6. Over the course of the 8 months of the survey, our results indicate that the number of LPCs passing within 1.5 au are a factor of several higher than previous estimates, while JFCs are within the previous range of estimates of a few thousand down to sizes near 1.3 km in diameter. Finally, we also observe evidence for structure in the orbital distribution of LPCs, with an overdensity of comets clustered near 110° inclination and perihelion near 2.9 au that is not attributable to observational bias.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Near-infrared Spectroscopic Observations of Comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) by WINERED: CN Red-system Band Emission

Although high-resolution spectra of the CN red-system band are considered useful in cometary sciences, e.g., in the study of isotopic ratios of carbon and nitrogen in cometary volatiles, there have been few reports to date due to the lack of high-resolution ( R ≡ λ /Δ λ > 20,000) spectrographs in the near-infrared region around ∼1 μ m. Here, we present the high-resolution emission spectrum of the CN red-system band in comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy), acquired by the near-infrared high-resolution spectrograph WINERED mounted on the 1.3 m Araki telescope at the Koyama Astronomical Observatory, Kyoto, Japan. We applied our fluorescence excitation models for CN, based on modern spectroscopic studies, to the observed spectrum of comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) to search for CN isotopologues ({sup 13}C{sup 14}N and {sup 12}C{sup 15}N). We used a CN fluorescence excitation model involving both a “pure” fluorescence excitation model for the outer coma and a “fully collisional” fluorescence excitation model for the inner coma region. Our emission model could reproduce the observed {sup 12}C{sup 14}N red-system band of comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy). The derived mixing ratio between the two excitation models was 0.94(+0.02/−0.03):0.06(+0.03/−0.02), corresponding to the radius of the collision-dominant region of ∼800–1600 km from the nucleus. No isotopologues were detected. The observed spectrum is consistent, within error, with previous estimates in comets of {sup 12}C/{sup 13}C (∼90) and {sup 14}N/{sup 15}N (∼150).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Optical and Near-infrared Polarimetry of Non-periodic Comet C/2013 US10 (Catalina)

We present an optical and near-infrared (hereafter NIR) polarimetric study of a comet C/2013 US10 (Catalina) observed on UT 2015 December 17–18 at phase angles of α = 52.°1–53.°1. Additionally, we obtained an optical spectrum and multi-band images to examine the influence of gas emission. We find that the observed optical signals are significantly influenced by gas emission; that is, the gas-to-total intensity ratio varies from 5 to 30% in the R {sub C} and 3%–18% in the I {sub C} bands, depending on the position in the coma. We derive the “gas-free dust polarization degrees” of 13.8% ± 1.0% in the R {sub C} and 12.5% ± 1.1% in the I {sub C} bands and a gray polarimetric color, i.e., −8.7% ± 9.9% μ m{sup −1} in optical and 1.6% ± 0.9% μ m{sup −1} in NIR. The increments of polarization obtained from the gas correction show that the polarimetric properties of the dust in this low-polarization comet are not different from those in high-polarization comets. In this process, the cometocentric distance dependence of polarization has disappeared. We also find that the R {sub C}-band polarization degree of the southeast dust tail, which consists of large dust particles (100 μ m–1 mm), is similar to that in the outer coma where small and large ones are mixed. Our study confirms that the dichotomy of cometary polarization does not result from the difference of dust properties, but from depolarizing gas contamination. This conclusion can provide a strong support for similarity in origin of comets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Characterization of the Nucleus, Morphology, and Activity of Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov by Optical and Near-infrared GROWTH, Apache Point, IRTF, ZTF, and Keck Observations

We present visible and near-infrared (NIR) photometric and spectroscopic observations of interstellar object (ISO) 2I/Borisov taken from 2019 September 10 to 2019 December 20 using the GROWTH, the Apache Point Observatory Astrophysical Research Consortium 3.5 m, and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility 3.0 m combined with pre- and postdiscovery observations of 2I obtained by the Zwicky Transient Facility from 2019 March 17 to 2019 May 5. Comparison with imaging of distant solar system comets shows an object very similar to mildly active solar system comets with an outgassing rate of ∼10{sup 27} mol s{sup −1}. The photometry, taken in filters spanning the visible and NIR range, shows a gradual brightening trend of ∼0.03 mag day{sup −1} since 2019 September 10 UTC for a reddish object becoming neutral in the NIR. The light curve from recent and prediscovery data reveals a brightness trend suggesting the recent onset of significant H{sub 2}O sublimation with the comet being active with super volatiles such as CO at heliocentric distances >6 au consistent with its extended morphology. Using the advanced capability to significantly reduce the scattered light from the coma enabled by high-resolution NIR images from Keck adaptive optics taken on 2019 October 4, we estimate a diameter for 2I’s nucleus of ≲1.4 km. We use the size estimates of 1I/’Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov to roughly estimate the slope of the ISO size distribution, resulting in a slope of ∼3.4 ± 1.2, similar to solar system comets and bodies produced from collisional equilibrium.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Systematics and Consequences of Comet Nucleus Outgassing Torques

Anisotropic outgassing from comets exerts a torque sufficient to rapidly change the angular momentum of the nucleus, potentially leading to rotational instability. Here, we use empirical measures of spin changes in a sample of comets to characterize the torques, and to compare them with expectations from a simple model. Both the data and the model show that the characteristic spin-up timescale, τ {sub s}, is a strong function of nucleus radius, r {sub n}. Empirically, we find that the timescale for comets (most with perihelion 1–2 au and eccentricity ∼0.5) varies as τ{sub s}∼100r{sub n}{sup 2}, where r {sub n} is expressed in kilometers, and τ {sub s} is in years. The fraction of the nucleus surface that is active varies as f{sub A}∼0.1r{sub n}{sup −2}. We find that the median value of the dimensionless moment arm of the torque is k {sub T} = 0.007 (i.e., ∼0.7% of the escaping momentum torques the nucleus), with weak (<3σ) evidence for a size dependence k{sub T}∼10{sup −3}r{sub n}{sup 2}. Sub-kilometer nuclei have spin-up timescales comparable to their orbital periods, confirming that outgassing torques are quickly capable of driving small nuclei toward rotational disruption. Torque-induced rotational instability likely accounts for the paucity of sub-kilometer short-period cometary nuclei, and for the pre-perihelion destruction of sungrazing comets. Torques from sustained outgassing on small active asteroids can rival YORP torques, even for very small (≲1 g s{sup −1}) mass-loss rates. Finally, we highlight the important role played by observational biases in the measured distributions of τ {sub s}, f {sub A}, and k {sub T}.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Line Ratios for Solar Wind Charge Exchange with Comets

Charge exchange (CX) has emerged in X-ray emission modeling as a significant process that must be considered in many astrophysical environments—particularly comets. Comets host an interaction between solar wind ions and cometary neutrals to promote solar wind charge exchange (SWCX). X-ray observatories provide astronomers and astrophysicists with data for many X-ray emitting comets that are impossible to accurately model without reliable CX data. Here, we utilize a streamlined set of computer programs that incorporate the multi-channel Landau–Zener theory and a cascade model for X-ray emission to generate cross sections and X-ray line ratios for a variety of bare and non-bare ion single electron capture (SEC) collisions. Namely, we consider collisions between the solar wind constituent bare and H-like ions of C, N, O, Ne, Na, Mg, Al, and Si and the cometary neutrals H{sub 2}O, CO, CO{sub 2}, OH, and O. To exemplify the application of this data, we model the X-ray emission of Comet C/2000 WM1 (linear) using the CX package in SPEX and find excellent agreement with observations made with the XMM-Newton RGS detector. Our analyses show that the X-ray intensity is dominated by SWCX with H, while H{sub 2}O plays a secondary role. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that CX cross sections have been implemented into a X-ray spectral fitting package to determine the H to H{sub 2}O ratio in cometary atmospheres. The CX data sets are incorporated into the modeling packages SPEX and Kronos .

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Impact of Radiogenic Heating on the Formation Conditions of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko

Because of the high fraction of refractory material present in comets, the heat produced by the radiogenic decay of elements such as aluminum and iron can be high enough to induce the loss of ultravolatile species such as nitrogen, argon, or carbon monoxide during their accretion phase in the protosolar nebula (PSN). Here, we investigate how heat generated by the radioactive decay of {sup 26}Al and {sup 60}Fe influences the formation of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, as a function of its accretion time and the size of its parent body. We use an existing thermal evolution model that includes various phase transitions, heat transfer in the ice-dust matrix, and gas diffusion throughout the porous material, based on thermodynamic parameters derived from Rosetta observations. Two possibilities are considered: either, to account for its bilobate shape, 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko was assembled from two primordial ∼2 km sized planetesimals, or it resulted from the disruption of a larger parent body with a size corresponding to that of comet Hale–Bopp (∼70 km). To fully preserve its volatile content, we find that either 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko’s formation was delayed between ∼2.2 and 7.7 Myr after that of Ca–Al-rich Inclusions in the PSN or the comet’s accretion phase took place over the entire time interval, depending on the primordial size of its parent body and the composition of the icy material considered. Our calculations suggest that the formation of 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko is consistent with both its accretion from primordial building blocks formed in the nebula or from debris issued from the disruption of a Hale–Bopp-like body.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗