Comets are the most pristine objects in our solar system (though not completely pristine). I am interested in the overall volatile composition, which we determine by measuring gas that is evaporating and expanding into the coma when a comet approaches the Sun. I use high-resolution, near infrared spectroscopy to measure ro-vibrational transitions of simple molecules like water (H2O), methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), and carbon monoxide (CO).

Currently, I am particularly interested in what contribution comets may have made to the Earth’s oceans and biosphere. In order to answer this, I am collaborating with scientists at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Rowan University to search for deuterated water (HDO) an methane (CH3D). The HDO/H2O ratio in Earth’s oceans is well known. How similar is the cometary HDO/H2O ratio? Can this be used to infer what percentage of Earth’s water originated in the outer solar system?

Comet Publications:

Gibb, E. L., Bonev, B. P., Villanueva, G. L., DiSanti, M. A., Mumma, M. J., 2013, Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, in press. “Solar Fluorescence Model of CH3D as Applied to Comet Emission”

Bonev, B. P., Villanueva, G. L., Paganini, L., DiSanti, M. A., Gibb, E. L., Keane, J., Meech, K., Mumma, M. J., 2013, Icarus, 222, 740-751. “Water Outflow in Comet 103P/Hartley 2: Distribution of Column Density, Rotational Temperatures, and Ortho-Para Ratio”

Gibb, E. L., Bonev, B. P., Villauneva, G., DiSanti, M. A., Mumma, M. J., Sudholt, E., Radeva, Y., ApJ, 750, 102. “Chemical Composition of comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin): another “atypical” comet”

Villanueva, G. L., Mumma, M. J., DiSanti, M. A., Bonev, B. P., Gibb, E. L., Magee-Suaer, K., Blake, G. A., Salyk, C. 2011, Icarus, 216, 227. “The molecular comporition of Comet C/2007 W1 (Boattini): Evidence of a peculiar outgassing and a rich chemistry”

Mumma, M. J., Bonev, B. P., Villanueva, G. L. and 10 coathors, 2011, ApJ, 734, 7. “Temporal and Spatial Aspects of Gas Release During the 2010 Apparition of Comet 103P/Hartley 2”

Meech, K. J. and 196 coauthors, 2011, ApJ, 734, 1. “EPOXI: Comet 103P/Hartley2 Observations from a Worldwide Campaign”

Radeva, Y. L., Mumma, M. J., Bonev, B. P., DiSanti, M. A., Villanueva, G. L., Magee-Sauer, K., Gibb, E. L., Weaver, H. A. 2010, Icarus, 206, 764. “The organic composition of Comet C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR) revealed through infrared spectroscopy”

Bonev, B. P., Mumma, M. J., Gibb, E. L., DiSanti, M. A., Magee-Sauer, K., Villanueva, G. L., Ellis, R. 2009, ApJ, 699, 1563, “Comet C/2002 Q2 (Machholz): Parent Volatiles, A Search For Deuterated Methane, and Constraint on the CH4 Spin Temperature”

Villanueva, G. L., Mumma, M. J., Bonev, B. P., DiSanti, M. A., Gibb, E. L., Bonhardt, H., Lippi, M. 2009, ApJ, 690, 5L, “A Sensitive Search for Deuterated Water in Comet 8P/Tuttle” Villanueva2008_TuttleHDO.pdf

Bonev, B. P., Mumma, M. J., Radeva, Y. L., DiSanti, M. A., Gibb, E. L., Villanueva, G. L., 2008, ApJ, 680, 61, “The Peculiar Volatile Composition of Comet 8P/Tuttle: A Contact Binary of Chemically Distinct Cometesimals?” Bonev2008_Tuttle.pdf

Magee-Sauer, K., Mumma, M. J., DiSanti, M. A., Dello Russo, N., Gibb, E. L., Bonev, B. P., 2008, Icarus, 194, 347, “The Organic Composition of Comet C/2001 A2 (LINEAR): I - The Unusual Chemistry of this Comet Revealed at Infrared Wavelengths” MageeSauer2008_A2.pdf

DiSanti, M. A., Anderson, W. M., Villanueva, G. L., Bonev, B. P., Magee-Sauer, K., Gibb, E. L., Mumma, M. J. 2007, ApJ, 661, L101, “Depleted Carbon Monoxide in the Jupiter-family comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3-C”

DiSanti2007_CO_SW3.pdf

Gibb, E. L., DiSanti, M. A., Magee-Sauer, K., Dello Russo, N., Bonev, B. P., Mumma, M. J., 2007, Icarus, 188, 224, “The Organic Composition of C/2001 A2 (LINEAR). II - Search for Heterogeneity within a Comet Nucleus” Gibb2007_A2.pdf

Dello Russo, N., Mumma, M.J., DiSanti, M.A., Magee-Sauer, K., Gibb, E.L., Bonev, B.P., McLean, I.S., Xu, L.-H. 2006, Icarus, 184, 255, “A High-Resolution Infrared Spectral Survey of Comet C/1999 H1 Lee” dellorusso2006_leesurvey.pdf

Mumma, M. J., DiSanti, M. A., Magee-Sauer, K., Bonev, B. P., Villanueva, G. L., Kawakita, H., Dello Russo, N., Gibb, E. L., Blake, G. A., Lyke, J. E., Campbell, R. D., Aycock, J., Conrad, A., Hill, G. M. 2005, Science, 310, 270. “Parent Volatiles in Comet 9P/Tempel 1: Before and After Impact.” Mumma2005_DeepImpact.pdf

Dello Russo, N.,Bonev, B.P., DiSanti, M.A., Mumma, M.J., Gibb, E.L., Magee-Sauer, K., Barber, R.J., & Tennyson, J.  2005, ApJ, 621, 537. "Water Production Rates, Rotational Temperatures and Spin Temperatures in Comets C/1999 H1 (Lee), C/1999 S4, and C/2001 A2” DelloRusso2005.pdf

Bonev, B.P., Mumma, M.J., Dello Russo, N., Gibb, E.L., DiSanti, M.A., & Magee-Sauer, K. 2004, ApJ, 615, 1048.  “Infrared OH Prompt Emission as a Proxy of Water Production in Comets: Quantitative analysis of the multiplet near 3046 cm-1 in Comets C/1999 H1 (Lee) and C/2001 A2 (LINEAR)” Bonev2004_OH.pdf

Dello Russo, N., DiSanti, M.A., Magee-Sauer, K., Gibb, E.L., Mumma, M.J., Barber, R.J., & Tennyson, J. 2004, Icarus, 168, 186.  "Water production and release in comet 153P/Ikeya Zhang (C/2001 C1): Accurate rotational temperature retrievals from hot-band lines near 2.9-μm." DelloRusso2004_IZ.pdf

Mumma, M.J., Disanti, M.A., Dello Russo, N., Magee-Sauer, K., Gibb, E., & Novak, R. 2003, AdSpR, 31, 2563. "Remote infrared observations of parent volatiles in comets: A window on the early solar system"

Gibb, E.L., Mumma, M.J., Dello Russo, N., DiSanti, M.A., Magee-Sauer, K. 2003, Icarus, 165, 391. "Methane in Oort Cloud Comets" Gibb2003_CH4.pdf

Gibb, E.L., Mumma, M.J., DiSanti, M.A., Dello Russo, N., Magee-Sauer, K. 2002, In the Proceedings for the Asteroids, Comets, & Meteors Conference, Berlin, Germany (ESA SP-500), pp. 705-708. "An Infrared Search for HDO in Comets" Gibb2002_HDO.pdf