Organic molecules, never seen before on such celestial bodies were discovered by the robot. A discovery that could “significantly advance on the origin of life,” the researchers said.
The new scientific results of exploration unprecedented Tchouri comet reveal the unexpected structures and characteristics, including the presence of four organic molecules, building blocks of life, never seen before on these small bodies.
These are the main findings of the measures and analyzes made by the instruments of Philae, the small lander, which for the first time in history has been able to collect data directly on a cometary nucleus.
“We discovered almost everything we did not know before a comet nucleus,” said Jean-Pierre Bibring, professor at the Université Paris-Sud, chief scientist of Philae. “And what we see nothing really corresponds to what we could imagine a comet, since its overall structure and small scale physical properties and composition,” he said in an interview telephone with AFP.
He said the harvest information will advance understanding of comets, witnesses of the genesis of the solar system there is 4.6 billion years. The studies were published Thursday in the journal Science.
“Philae will make us significantly forward on the origin of life”
“We are confident that we will do Philae significantly advance the origin of life “on our planet and also on the fact whether it is common or not in the universe, found Professor Bibring.
The four molecules detected on comet entering a chain of chemical evolution can lead to the formation of basic building blocks of life, explains the scientist
This discovery was made shortly after the eventful arrival of Philae November 12, 2014. – -after its separation from the orbiter Rosetta– by one of its ten instruments.
In all sixteen compounds were identified which are divided into six classes of organic molecules including alcohols and amines. Among these molecules, the four never found so far on a comet are inter alia methyl, and acetone, important precursor molecules for life as sugars and acids aminés.Mais the presence of these compounds complex could not be identified with this first analysis, the researchers said.
These observations provide an overview of the chemical processes that occur in a comet nucleus and even already in the dust cloud which, collapsing, gave birth to the solar system 4.6 billion ago years, according to the astronomers.
Since comets have not undergone any change since the emergence of the solar system may be deduced from these observations, that these cometary organics were already agglomerated grains of several millimeters as the “Tchouri”. Previously thought that only small organic molecules were trapped in the ice of cometary nuclei.
It is such grain ending up in the oceans of the Earth and possibly on other planets and moons elsewhere in the solar system, could encourage the emergence of life, believe the authors of this work.
Seven months of hibernation
The photographs and measurements were able to determine the position of Philae lying in a ditch, lying on its side with only two of three foot contacting the ground.
The module is enclosed complicating its solar power supply and communications with Rosetta.
After arriving November 12, she could run for 60 hours before sleep, for lack of sufficient sunlight to recharge its solar batteries. She woke up on June 13 after seven months of hibernation while the comet approached the sun.
Since the robot barely sufficient to establish communication with Rosetta, which is 200 kilometers far enough to avoid gas and dust jets.
In his eighth and last contact on July 9, Philae communicated longer transmitting data. But the quality of the communication has not enabled scientists to send commands to the robot to operate tools.
“Philae is not dead but is very effective in survival,” insisted Thursday Professor Bibring.
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