Solopos.com, JAKARTA — British astrochemists found a meteor that is relatively rare and is estimated to be 4.6 billion years old. The meteorite is thought to have originated in the early days of the solar system.
The meteor was discovered in Gloucestershire in March by a resident of Loughborough in England. He is the director of astrochemistry at the East Anglian Astrophysical Research Organization (EAARO) named Derek Robson.
Space rock is chondrite carbon which is included in the rare category. This is because it comprises 4% to 5% of the meteorites found on Earth.
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These meteorites originate in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and form early in the history of the solar system. These meteorites usually contain organic compounds including amino acids. From the meteorites found, they may have clues as to how living things first appeared in the solar system.
The boulder found is quite different from other space debris. This is because the boulder cannot withstand the violent impact and intense heat involved in the creation of the planets and moons in the solar system.
The stones found were small, charcoal-colored and brittle. The meteorites are mostly made of minerals such as olivine and phyllosilicates. The rock also has round grains called chondrules, some of which are liquid beads that were incorporated into the asteroid when it first formed.
Mysterious Structure
According to Shaun Fowler, a microscopy at Loughborough University, the composition is quite different from what is found on Earth and potentially unlike any other meteorite found. Fowler said this meteorite may contain some previously unknown chemical or physical structure or that has not been seen in other meteorite samples that have been recorded.
Researchers at Loughborough University and EAARO used electron microscopy to study the surface of meteorites down to nanometers (millionths of a meter), and used a technique called vibrational spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, which allowed them to study the chemicals in the meteorite, including its mineral structure.
If the team can confirm the presence of amino acids in the samples, the findings may reveal new information about how the early solar system was geochemistry. Examination of the meteorite is still in its early stages, namely scratching the surface.
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