An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The number of → deuterium (D) atoms with respect to → hydrogen (H) in an astrophysical object. Deuterium is a primordial product of → Big Bang nucleosynthesis. According to theoretical models, the primordial D/H ratio is estimated to be (2.61 ± 0.15) x 10^-5 (Steigman et al. 2007, MNRAS 378, 576). Nuclear reactions in stars convert D into He tending to a lower D/H ratio in the → interstellar medium over time (→ deuterium burning). However, chemical and physical → fractionation processes can produce local → enhancements in the D/H ratio. For example, low-temperature ion-molecule reactions in → molecular cloud cores can enhance the D/H ratio in icy grains by as much as two orders of magnitude above that observed in the interstellar medium.

The D/H ratio in the → solar nebula, estimated from observations of CH₄ in → Jupiter and → Saturn, is 2.1 ± 0.4 x 10^-5,
assuming that these gaseous planets obtained most of their hydrogen directly from solar nebula gas. This estimate is consistent with → protosolar D/H value inferred from the → solar wind implanted into lunar soils. Moreover, the D/H ratio derived from the interstellar Dα line (which is displaced from the → Lyman alpha line of ¹H at 1216 Å by -0.33 Å) is 1.6 x 10^-5 (Linsky et al. 1995, ApJ 451, 335).

High D/H ratios (relative to Earth’s water) are measured spectroscopically from water in three comets (all from the → Oort cloud):
→ Halley (3.2 ± 0.1 x 10^-4),
→ Hyakutake (2.9 ± 1.0 x 10^-4), and → Hale-Bopp (3.3 ± 0.8 x 10^-4). These are all about twice the D/H ratio for terrestrial water (1.49 x 10^-4) and about 15 times the value for the above-mentioned solar nebula gas. Note that
→ carbonaceous chondrites have the highest water abundance of all → meteorites. Their D/H ratios range from 1.20 x 10^-4 to 3.2 x10^-4 with a case at (7.3 ± 1.2) x10^-4.

Different authors interpret the high comet ratios in very different ways. Some consider the high D/H ratio as evidence against a cometary origin of most of the terrestrial water. Others, on the contrary, argue that comets are the main reservoir of deuterium-rich water that raised the terrestrial D/H a factor of six above the protosolar value.

For more details see “Sources of Terrestrial and Martian Water” by Campins, H. and Drake, M. (2010) in “Water & life: the unique properties of H20” Eds. R. Lynden-Bell et al. CRC Press, pp. 221- 234.

See also: → deuterium; → abundance.