SoylentNews

Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

As Rosetta's comet approached its most active period last year, the spacecraft spotted carbon dioxide ice – never before seen on a comet – followed by the emergence of two unusually large patches of water ice [phys.org].

The carbon dioxide ice layer covered an area comparable to the size of a football pitch, while the two water ice patches were each larger than an Olympic swimming pool and much larger than any signs of water ice previously spotted at the comet.

The three icy layers were all found in the same region, on the comet's southern hemisphere.

Is the Earth picking up CO2 and water vapor from the comet, or is the comet picking up CO2 and water vapor from the Earth?

Original Submission