Abstract :
[en] New independent constraints on the amount of water delivered to Earth by comets are derived using the [SUP]15[/SUP]N/[SUP]14[/SUP]N isotopic ratio, measured to be roughly twice as high in cometary CN and HCN as in the present Earth. Under reasonable assumptions, we find that no more than a few percent of Earthâ s water can be attributed to comets, in agreement with the constraints derived from D/H. Our results also suggest that a significant part of Earthâ s atmospheric nitrogen might come from comets. Since the [SUP]15[/SUP]N/[SUP]14[/SUP]N isotopic ratio is not different in Oort-cloud and Kuiper-belt comets, our estimates apply to the contribution of both types of objects.
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