Organic Matter in the Solar System—Implications for Future on-Site and Sample Return Missions

Zita Martins , Queenie Hoi Shan Chan , Lydie Bonal (1) , Ashley King , Hikaru Yabuta

1 IPAG - Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble

Solar system bodies like comets, asteroids, meteorites and dust particles contain organic matter with different abundances, structures and chemical composition. This chapter compares the similarities and differences of the organic composition in these planetary bodies. Furthermore, these links are explored in the context of detecting the most pristine organic material, either by on-site analysis or sample return missions. Finally, we discuss the targets of potential future sample return missions, as well as the contamination controls that should be in place in order to successfully study pristine organic matter.

Keywords: Organic matter; Solar system; Comets; Asteroids; Extraterrestrial samples; Sample return mission

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]

Zita Martins, Queenie Hoi Shan Chan, Lydie Bonal, Ashley King, Hikaru Yabuta. Organic Matter in the Solar System—Implications for Future on-Site and Sample Return Missions. Space Science Reviews, 2020, 216, ⟨10.1007/s11214-020-00679-6⟩. ⟨insu-03705209⟩