Water Found on Surface of Two Asteroids, Implications for Earth’s Origins
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have detected water on the surface of two asteroids for the first time. The findings, published in The Planetary Science Journal, could have significant implications for our understanding of how water initially arrived on Earth. The research was conducted using the retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a joint project of NASA and the German Space Agency (DLR).
The two silicate-rich asteroids, named Iris and Massalia, were found to emit a specific wavelength of light that indicated the presence of water molecules. This discovery challenges previous assumptions that water on the surface of asteroids would have evaporated into space due to the heat of the sun. It suggests that water may be more common in the inner solar system than previously thought.
“Asteroids are leftovers from the planetary formation process, so their compositions vary depending on where they formed in the solar nebula,” explains Anicia Arredondo, an asteroid researcher at the Southwest Research Institute and co-author of the paper. “Of particular interest is the distribution of water on asteroids because that can shed light on how water was delivered to Earth.”
The detection of water on these asteroids opens up the possibility that water on Earth may have arrived via asteroid impacts during the early days of the solar system. Jonti Horner, an astrophysics professor at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, suggests that asteroids, comets, and their associated debris are constantly being influenced by the gravity of planets, altering their paths through space.
SOFIA was previously used to detect traces of water on the moon’s surface, providing valuable insights into lunar water content. The success of this mission prompted researchers to explore the possibility of finding water on other celestial bodies. The team’s research on Iris and Massalia was based on the same principles used to detect water on the moon’s sunlit surface.
The study also highlights the different forms in which water may exist on asteroids, including being stuck on the surface of silicates, trapped or dissolved in silicate glass, or chemically bound to a mineral. The abundance of water on the asteroids Iris and Massalia is consistent with that found on the sunlit moon.
While the discovery of water on these two asteroids is groundbreaking, further research is needed to determine if Parthenope and Melpomene, the other two asteroids examined by SOFIA, also contain water on their surfaces. The James Webb Space Telescope will be used to investigate these asteroids in more detail. Arredondo and her team have already conducted initial measurements for two other asteroids using the telescope and have proposed studying an additional 30 targets in the future.
The implications of this discovery extend beyond our understanding of Earth’s origins. By studying the distribution of water in the solar system, scientists hope to gain insights into the formation and evolution of planets and other celestial bodies. This research not only challenges conventional wisdom but also paves the way for new discoveries and connections in our quest for common ground in the vast expanse of space.
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