Scientists have detected water molecules on the surface of a cosmic asteroid for the first time. The discovery reveals new details about how water is distributed within the solar system. The study was published on February 12th. Planetary Science Journal.
[Related: What astronomers learned from a near-Earth asteroid they never saw coming.]
water molecule Detected in asteroid samples brought back to EarthHowever, this is the first time that molecules have been discovered on the surface of an asteroid in space. The research team used data from a now-retired satellite to study four silicate-rich asteroids. Stratospheric Infrared Astronomy Observatory (Sofia). This plane, equipped with a telescope, was operated by the German Aerospace Center and his NASA. Several observations made by SOFIA’s Faint Object Infrared Camera (FORCAST) instrument revealed: Asteroids Iris and Massalia There is evidence of light at specific wavelengths that indicates the presence of water molecules on the surface. Asteroid Iris is a giant planet 124 miles in diameter that orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Massalia is approximately 134 miles in diameter and is also near the Red Planet.
“Because asteroids are leftovers from the planet-forming process, their composition varies depending on where in the solar nebula they formed,” said study co-author Anisia Arredondo, an astronomer and an asteroid expert at the Southwest Research Institute. Mr, stated in a statement. “Of particular interest is the distribution of water on the asteroid, as it may reveal how water was delivered to Earth.”
Dry silicate asteroids are described as anhydrous and usually form near the Sun. Icy space rocks like Chariklo are found further away from the Sun. By understanding where asteroids are located in the solar system and what they are made of, we can learn how material in the solar system has been distributed and evolved over time. Water is necessary for all life on Earth, so identifying where water is likely to exist can help determine where to look for life within our solar system and even beyond.
“We detected signatures on the asteroids Iris and Massaria that are clearly attributable to water molecules,” Arredondo said. “Our research builds on the team’s success in discovering molecular water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. We will use SOFIA to find this spectral signature in other celestial bodies. I thought it could be done.”
The water molecules were detected by SOFIA in one of the moon’s largest craters in the southern hemisphere. Previous observations of the moon and asteroids had detected some form of hydrogen, but it was not possible to tell the difference between water and a chemically similar substance called hydroxyl.the team found Equivalent to approximately 12 ounces of bottled water on top of the crater. This water was chemically bound to minerals and trapped in cubic meters of soil spread across the moon’s surface.
“Based on the band intensities of the spectral features, the water abundance on the asteroid matches the water abundance on the sunlit moon,” Arredondo said. “Similarly, in asteroids, water not only binds to minerals, but also adsorbs to silicates and can become trapped or dissolved in silicate impact glass.”
[Related: NASA spacecraft Lucy says hello to ‘Dinky’ asteroid on far-flying mission.]
Monotenope and Melpomene were two of the fainter asteroids studied, and the data did not reveal a final conclusion regarding the presence of water molecules. According to the team, where water spectral features are present, the FORCAST instrument is not sensitive enough to detect them. The research team is now using its precise optics and ability to see in infrared signals to investigate other targets in space, with help from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.
“We conducted initial measurements of two more asteroids with Webb during Cycle 2,” Arredondo said. “We have another proposal to investigate 30 more targets in the next cycle. These studies will improve our understanding of the distribution of water in the solar system.”
