A D/H Ratio Consistent with Earth's Water in Halley-type Comet 12P from ALMA HDO Mapping

Abstract

Isotopic measurements of Solar System bodies provide a primary paradigm within which to understand the origins and histories of planetary materials. The D/H ratio in particular, helps reveal the relationship between (and heritage of) different H${}_2$O reservoirs within the Solar System. Here we present interferometric maps of water (H${}_2$O) and semiheavy water (HDO) in the gas-phase coma of a comet (Halley-type comet 12P/Pons-Brooks), obtained using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The maps are consistent with outgassing of both H${}_2$O and HDO directly from the nucleus, and imply a coma D/H ratio (for water) of $(1.71\pm 0.44)\times 10^{-4}$. This is at the lower end of the range of previously-observed values in comets, and is consistent with D/H in Earth's ocean water. Our results suggest a possible common heritage between a component of the Oort cloud's water ice reservoir, and the water that was delivered to the young Earth during the early history of the Solar System.

Published in Nature Astronomy, 8 August 2025

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