Water Molecules Discovered on Asteroid Surface, Unveiling Insights into Solar System’s Water Distribution
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have detected water molecules on the surface of an asteroid for the very first time. This remarkable finding provides valuable insights into the distribution of water within our solar system. The study, conducted by researchers from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, utilized data collected by NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and the German Aerospace Center.
The team focused their attention on four silicate-rich asteroids, examining them in detail using SOFIA’s Faint Object InfraRed Camera (FORCAST) instrument. Astonishingly, their observations revealed that two of the asteroids, named Iris and Massalia, exhibited a specific wavelength of light indicative of water molecules on their surfaces.
Lead author of the study, Anicia Arredondo, expressed her excitement about the findings, stating, “Asteroids are remnants from the formation of planets, and their compositions differ depending on where they originated within the solar nebula. The distribution of water on asteroids is particularly intriguing as it can provide insights into how water was delivered to Earth.”
While previous studies have detected water molecules in asteroid samples brought back to Earth, this is the first instance of water molecules being identified on an asteroid’s surface in space. Interestingly, SOFIA had previously discovered similar traces of water on the moon’s surface within one of its largest craters in the southern hemisphere.
Arredondo explained, “We detected a feature that is unmistakably attributed to molecular water on the asteroids Iris and Massalia. We based our research on the success of the team that found molecular water on the sunlit surface of the moon. We believed that we could use SOFIA to identify this spectral signature on other celestial bodies.”
In a previous study, SOFIA had determined that approximately 12 ounces of water were trapped within a cubic meter of soil spread across the moon’s surface, chemically bound in minerals. The recent research conducted by the Southwest Research Institute scientists revealed that the abundance of water on Iris and Massalia was comparable to that found on the moon. The water on these asteroids may also be chemically bound in minerals or adsorbed in silicate.
Iris and Massalia, measuring 124 miles and 84 miles in diameter, respectively, share similar orbits, averaging a distance of 2.39 astronomical units from the sun. The discovery of water on these asteroids challenges previous assumptions about the distribution of water in the solar system. It was previously believed that dry silicate asteroids formed closer to the sun, while icy materials coalesced farther out. Water present on objects in the inner solar system was thought to evaporate due to the intense heat of the sun.
The findings at Iris and Massalia suggest that some silicate asteroids can retain water over extended periods, indicating that they may be more prevalent in the inner solar system than previously thought. This is significant because asteroids are believed to be the primary source of Earth’s water, providing the essential elements for life as we know it. Understanding the distribution of water throughout space will aid researchers in identifying potential locations for other forms of life within our solar system and beyond.
The results of this groundbreaking study were published in The Planetary Science Journal on February 12th. This discovery marks a significant milestone in our understanding of the solar system’s water distribution and brings us one step closer to unraveling the mysteries of our cosmic neighborhood.