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Parent Molecule, Comet

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Definition

A parent molecule is a molecule directly released from cometary material, e.g., by sublimation of cometary ices. It contrasts with daughter molecules, which are their degradation products. Historically, daughter molecules (CN, C2, C3, CH, OH, NH…) were first observed in cometary spectra from their electronic bands in the visible and the nature of their parents was the subject of speculations. Parent molecules (H2O, CO, CO2, NH3, HCN, hydrocarbons…) were definitely identified more recently from their vibrational bands and rotational lines in the infrared and radio spectral domains, as well as from in situ mass spectroscopy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, 5, Place Jules Janssen, 92195, Meudon, France

    Jacques Crovisier

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  1. Jacques Crovisier
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Correspondence to Jacques Crovisier .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Crovisier, J. (2014). Parent Molecule, Comet. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1157-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1157-5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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