On the comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko found oxygen

Space probe "Rosetta", to the surprise of planetary scientists, discovered a large amount of oxygen in the atmosphere of the comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko. It turned out that oxygen has experienced the formation of the solar system that scientists believe is impossible. This finding refutes a significant part of the theories of planetary formation.

The study is published in the magazine Nature. According to the participants of the scientific team of "Rosetta" Katherine Altwegg of the University of Bern, the space probe "Rosetta" discovered oxygen in a gas cloud surrounding the comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko (67P / Churyumov - Gerasimenko), almost immediately after he arrived in the vicinity of the comet August last year. However, scientists have long believed in the impossible, they said, the phenomenon. "When we saw this, we have begun to doubt, because I did not expect to find such a comet. The main question - how he (oxygen) got there, "- Catherine said Altwegg. The researchers found that oxygen is the fourth to extend the gas around the comet after water vapor, carbon monoxide and dioxide.

As suggested planetary oxygen got into the bowels of the comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko at a time when it is a collection of microscopic grains of dust and ice on the outskirts of the future of the solar system. That is, the oxygen molecules in the atmosphere of the comet over the system that denies many existing theories of planet formation.

Until now komah comets found, mainly water, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide gases, and scientists believed that in the early stage of formation of the solar system occurred oxygen reacted with hydrogen and therefore can be found in the comet substance consisting only of water.

"According to the available scientific models, it could not have existed for so long. It reveals the mechanism of origin of the solar system. It has to be quiet for the formation of ice grains. They are still in the initial state. Now we have evidence that most of the comet survived the creation of the solar system, "- said one of the study's authors Andre Bailey of the University of Michigan.

Rosetta spacecraft with the descent module Philae («Fila") launched on board the comet Churyumov - Gerasimenko in 2004. His goal, he reached in 2014 and will finish the work in September 2016. The device will come close to the comet, exploring it, and eventually fall to the outer body.