Comet 81P/wild 2 under a microscope

Science
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Abstract

The Stardust spacecraft collected thousands of particles from comet 81P/Wild 2 and returned them to Earth for laboratory study. The preliminary examination of these samples shows that the nonvolatile portion of the comet is an unequilibrated assortment of materials that have both presolar and solar system origin. The comet contains an abundance of silicate grains that are much larger than predictions of interstellar grain models, and many of these are high-temperature minerals that appear to have formed in the inner regions of the solar nebula. Their presence in a comet proves that the formation of the solar system included mixing on the grandest scales.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Comet 81P/wild 2 under a microscope
Series title Science
DOI 10.1126/science.1135840
Volume 314
Issue 5806
Year Published 2006
Language English
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Science
First page 1711
Last page 1716
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