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

• Published in: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Vol. 499; no. 2; pp. 1870 - 1873
• Main Authors: Gardner, Esko, Lehto, Harry J, Lehto, Kirsi, Fray, Nicolas, Bardyn, Anaïs, Lönnberg, Tuomas, Merouane, Sihane, Isnard, Robin, Cottin, Hervé, Hilchenbach, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 01-12-2020; Oxford University Press (OUP): Policy P - Oxford Open Option A
• Subjects: Sciences of the Universe; comets: individual: 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko; comets: general; general -comets; individual; comets; 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
• ISSN: 0035-8711; 1365-2966
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staa2950

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.