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Organics captured from comet 81P/Wild 2 by the
Stardust spacecraft.
Sandford S. A., Aléon J., Alexander C. M. O'D.,
Araki T., Bajt S., Baratta G. A., Borg J., Bradley J. P.,
Brownlee D. E., Brucato J. R., Burchell M. J., Busemann H.,
Butterworth A., Clemett S. J., Cody G., Colangeli L., Cooper
G., D'Hendecourt L., Djouadi Z., Dworkin J. P., Ferrini G.,
Fleckenstein H., Flynn G. J., Franchi I. A., Fries M.,
Gilles M. K., Glavin D. P., Gounelle M., Grossemy F.,
Jacobsen C., Keller L. P., Kilcoyne A. L. D., Leitner J.,
Matrajt G., Meibom A., Mennella V., Mostefaoui S., Nittler
L. R., Palumbo M. E., Papanastassiou D. A., Robert F.,
Rotundi A., Snead C. J., Spencer M. K., Stadermann F. J.,
Steele A., Stephan T., Tsou P., Tyliszczak T., Westphal A.
J., Wirick S., Wopenka B., Yabuta H., Zare R. N., and
Zolensky M. E. (2006)
Science 314, 1720-1724.
doi:10.1126/science.1135841
ABSTRACT
Organics found in comet 81P/Wild 2 samples show a
heterogeneous and unequilibrated distribution in abundance
and composition. Some organics are similar, but not
identical, to those in interplanetary dust particles and
carbonaceous meteorites. A class of aromatic-poor organic
material is also present. The organics are rich in oxygen
and nitrogen compared with meteoritic organics. Aromatic
compounds are present, but the samples tend to be relatively
poorer in aromatics than are meteorites and interplanetary
dust particles. The presence of deuterium and nitrogen-15
excesses suggest that some organics have an
interstellar/protostellar heritage. Although the variable
extent of modification of these materials by impact capture
is not yet fully constrained, a diverse suite of organic
compounds is present and identifiable within the returned
samples.
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