Ammonium salts are a reservoir of nitrogen on a cometary nucleus and possibly on some asteroids
Journal
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Poch, Olivier
•
Istiqomah, Istiqomah
•
Quirico, Eric
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Beck, Pierre
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Schmitt, Bernard
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Theulé, Patrice
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Faure, Alexandre
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Hily-Blant, Pierre
•
Bonal, Lydie
•
•
•
•
Potin, Sandra
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Brissaud, Olivier
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Flandinet, Laurène
•
•
Pommerol, Antoine
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Thomas, Nicolas
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Kappel, David
•
•
Moroz, Lyuba
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Vinogradoff, Vassilissa
•
Arnold, Gabriele
•
Erard, Stéphane
•
Bockelée-Morvan, Dominique
•
Leyrat, Cédric
•
•
•
•
•
•
Abstract
The measured nitrogen-to-carbon ratio in comets is lower than for the Sun, a discrepancy which could be alleviated if there is an unknown reservoir of nitrogen in comets. The nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko exhibits an unidentified broad spectral reflectance feature around 3.2 micrometers, which is ubiquitous across its surface. On the basis of laboratory experiments, we attribute this absorption band to ammonium salts mixed with dust on the surface. The depth of the band indicates that semivolatile ammonium salts are a substantial reservoir of nitrogen in the comet, potentially dominating over refractory organic matter and more volatile species. Similar absorption features appear in the spectra of some asteroids, implying a compositional link between asteroids, comets, and the parent interstellar cloud.
Volume
367
Issue
6483
Start page
aaw7462
Issn Identifier
0036-8075
Ads BibCode
2020Sci...367.7462P
Rights
open.access
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