1. Elemental compositions of comet 81P/Wild 2 samples collected by Stardust.
- Author
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Flynn GJ, Bleuet P, Borg J, Bradley JP, Brenker FE, Brennan S, Bridges J, Brownlee DE, Bullock ES, Burghammer M, Clark BC, Dai ZR, Daghlian CP, Djouadi Z, Fakra S, Ferroir T, Floss C, Franchi IA, Gainsforth Z, Gallien JP, Gillet P, Grant PG, Graham GA, Green SF, Grossemy F, Heck PR, Herzog GF, Hoppe P, Hörz F, Huth J, Ignatyev K, Ishii HA, Janssens K, Joswiak D, Kearsley AT, Khodja H, Lanzirotti A, Leitner J, Lemelle L, Leroux H, Luening K, Macpherson GJ, Marhas KK, Marcus MA, Matrajt G, Nakamura T, Nakamura-Messenger K, Nakano T, Newville M, Papanastassiou DA, Pianetta P, Rao W, Riekel C, Rietmeijer FJ, Rost D, Schwandt CS, See TH, Sheffield-Parker J, Simionovici A, Sitnitsky I, Snead CJ, Stadermann FJ, Stephan T, Stroud RM, Susini J, Suzuki Y, Sutton SR, Taylor S, Teslich N, Troadec D, Tsou P, Tsuchiyama A, Uesugi K, Vekemans B, Vicenzi EP, Vincze L, Westphal AJ, Wozniakiewicz P, Zinner E, and Zolensky ME
- Abstract
We measured the elemental compositions of material from 23 particles in aerogel and from residue in seven craters in aluminum foil that was collected during passage of the Stardust spacecraft through the coma of comet 81P/Wild 2. These particles are chemically heterogeneous at the largest size scale analyzed ( approximately 180 ng). The mean elemental composition of this Wild 2 material is consistent with the CI meteorite composition, which is thought to represent the bulk composition of the solar system, for the elements Mg, Si, Mn, Fe, and Ni to 35%, and for Ca and Ti to 60%. The elements Cu, Zn, and Ga appear enriched in this Wild 2 material, which suggests that the CI meteorites may not represent the solar system composition for these moderately volatile minor elements.
- Published
- 2006
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