Posted on 01/23/2015 7:39:21 AM PST by BenLurkin
Researchers working with Rosetta have found that the comet harbors organic compounds, carbon-based molecules that are sometimes known as the chemical building blocks of life. This marks the first time organic molecules have been detected on the surface of a comet's nucleus, according to Fabrizio Capaccioni, the principal investigator of the VIRTIS instrument on Rosetta.
The northern hemisphere of the comet's nucleus is also filled with dunes and ripples that look somewhat like geological markings on Earth, Mars and Venus. Comet 67P/C-G doesn't have a robust atmosphere and high gravity like those planets, and yet it still has structures resembling sand dunes, according to Nicolas Thomas, the co-investigator of the OSIRIS imaging instrument on Rosetta.
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Rosetta has also been studying the atmosphere (coma) around the comet's nucleus. The probe has detected dust grains orbiting the comet, and scientists are hoping to learn more about how they form and why they remain in the comet's orbit. As the comet gets closer to the sun and more dust is released from the cosmic body, it's possible that the Rosetta team will have more opportunities to learn about the dust-to-gas ratio of the comet, Rotundi said.
Researchers working with the program aren't yet sure if the comet is what's known as a contact binary two lumps of different cosmic bodies stuck together.
Comet 67P/C-G appears to be dehydrated on its sunlit side, according to Thomas, but as the sun starts to hit the southern hemisphere of the comet it's possible that that side of the comet will begin to become active and heat up. The shifting sunlight could give the team a chance to understand more about the comet's origins.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
Spinning spaceships creates artificial gravity by using centrifugal force to keep the contents stuck to the inside of the outer wall, like some amusement-park rides.
If you read the article you will see that there is hardly any gravity at all.
So gravity is not the answer which I was aware of before I asked the question.
Funny thing is everyone who told me gravity is the answer is wrong but they looked like bigshots doing it.
How many will admit it?
IC so that would not help the outside stuff.
So say I jumped off that rock and escaped what little gravity there is, would I be left stranded there in outer space or would the momentum force me along with the rock?
I’m not sure what you mean by “would the momentum force me along with the rock”, but essentially you would go one way at some velocity, and the rock would go the other way at a much-smaller velocity.
You would eventually end-up floating out there in space until something else came by to gravitationaly attract you to it.
Fascinating discovery. Too bad the CREVO crowd has hijacked this thread.
Researchers working with Rosetta have found that the comet harbors organic compounds, carbon-based molecules that are sometimes known as the chemical building blocks of life.Thanks left that other site.
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That answers the question, thanks. I probably got a little too defensive over the gravity stuff.
Keep in mind also that “artificial gravity by spinning” kept many an unfortunate B-17 crewman stuck to the inside of his airplane after a wing had been blown off.
Don’t forget trees turning sunlight and CO2 into sugar.
In space, you have a much broader spectrum which includes protons, neutrons, and heavy charged particles. There are then many opportunities for change.
Cosmic Impacts May Have Seeded Early Earth with Ingredients for Life
They do say may!
Thanks Ernest!
They start with sugar, then polymerize the sugars into cellulose and xylose.
Maple syrup is tree sugar.
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