The organic content of comets: how to get prepared for the COSIMA TOF-SIMS measurements onboard the ROSETTA spacecraft.

Abstract : COSIMA is a time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer (TOF-SIMS) onboard the ESA ROSETTA spacecraft. It is meant to collect and analyze dust grains ejected from the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. This instrument is devoted to the mineral and organic chemical analysis of dust grains. This presentation will focus on the extent to which the organic content of the comet can be characterized in situ with COSIMA. It will be based on the pre-calibration mass spectra that have been obtained with ground instruments on either pure organic compounds or extraterrestrial sample containing carbonaceous matter.