Chemical and physical properties of cometary dust ...

• Main Authors: Engrand, Cecile, Lasue, Jérémie, Wooden, Diane H., Zolensky, Mike E.
• Format: Report
• Language: unknown
• Published: arXiv 2023
• Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics astro-ph.EP; FOS Physical sciences; Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2305.03417; https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.03417

Cometary dust particles are best preserved remnants of the matter present at the onset of the formation of the Solar System. Space missions, telescopic observations and laboratory analyses advanced the knowledge on the properties of cometary dust. Cometary samples were returned from comet 81P/Wild2 by the Stardust mission. The chondritic (porous) anhydrous interplanetary dust particles and chondritic porous micrometeorites, and the ultracarbonaceous Antarctic micrometeorites (UCAMMs) also show strong evidence for a cometary origin. The composition of cometary dust is generally chondritic, but with high C and N compared with CI. The cometary organic matter is mixed with minor amounts of crystalline and amorphous minerals. The most abundant crystalline minerals are ferromagnesian silicates, refractory minerals and low Ni Fe sulfides are also present. The presence of carbonates in cometary dust is still debated, but a phyllosilicate-like phase was observed in a UCAMM. GEMS phases are usually abundant. Some of ...