Comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Continuing to follow comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko after catching up in August, ESA's Rosetta has just discovered an interesting fact that this comet smells like rotten eggs and horse manure.

>>>Philae will land on the comet "head" 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Rosetta used neutral ion and gas sensor systems (ROSINA) to determine the "stink" of 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This system consists of 2 large spectrometers including DFMS dual mass mass spectrometers and RTOF (RTOF) spectroscopy to analyze comet head components and comet pressure sensors (COPS). Help determine the pressure of gases in the comet head.

Spectrophotometers are designed to measure a wide range of molecular types from hydo to complex organic substances. In addition, the pressure sensor can map changes in the pressure of the comet head as well as the large difference in the density of ions and neutral gases.

Gas rises from the beginning of the comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

In fact, the smell of comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko is only theoretically determined because the tip of the comet is actually a giant vacuum throat with molecular streaks. However, if these molecules gather, comets will smell very hard to smell. Scientists believe that because 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko is flying very far from the Sun, only strong volatile molecules such as CO or CO2 are released and detected by the system. Despite this, Rosetta discovered a gas mixture in the head of comets and this mixture includes: water, CO, CO ₂ , ammonia (NH3), methane (CH ₄ ), methanol (CH3OH), formaldehyde (CH ₂ O), hydrogen sulfide (H ₂ S), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), sulfur dioxide (SO ₂ ) and carbon disulfide (CS ₂ ).

In particular, the hydrogen sulfide (H ₂ S), ammonia (NH ₃ ) and formaldehyde (CH ₂ O) gases are the main components that make up the smell of comets. Kathrin Altwegg - lead researcher of ROSINA system said: "The smell of 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko is quite strong, like the scent of eggs (H ₂ S), the smell of horse manure (NH ₃ ) and the smell is pungent breathing of formaldehyde They are mixed with a slightly acidic smell of hydrogen cyanide along with a slight alcoholic vapor of methanol, a vinegar odor of sulfur dioxide and a slightly sweet smell of carbon disulfide and we have a comet scent ".

Launched into orbit in 2004, Rosetta caught up with comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko after three transverse flights to the Earth, once flying over Mars and once flying Jupiter to get the necessary velocity thanks to The gravity of these actions. During her 10-year journey, Rosetta encountered meteorites such as Steins and Lutetia, then spent 31 months in a paused regime to save resources before continuing the hunt for comets 67P / Churyumov- Gerasimenko. Since catching up on August 6, ESA's unmanned ship has stabilized its orbit and is currently preparing for its historic landing on the comet surface.

ESA said that not only the smell of comets is detected, by measuring the gases, astronomers can determine the chemical composition of comets, its origin at Kuiper belt is different from those of stars. The broom originates from the Oort cloud and even finds evidence of how life begins in the solar system.