Astronomers report the discovery of “water molecules” on the surfaces of two asteroids, reinforcing the assumption that Water on Earth comes from asteroids.
The fact that our planet is almost the only planet in the solar system that has “water” at a level sufficient for the birth of life It is still a mystery that scientists are determined to find the answer to. There is one important theory: “Asteroids may have been what brought water to Earth in the early days.”
asteroid is the remnant material left over from the formation of the solar system. It is still floating or orbiting around, making it a prime target for scientists to explore. Are they really the ones bringing water to the world?
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Recently it was reported that Water molecules have been detected on the surface of an asteroid for the first time. It is preliminary proof that Asteroids aren’t just dried up space rocks.
Astronomers believe that The impact of an asteroid that hit our planet may have helped deliver water and other elements to early Earth. Therefore, finding evidence of the presence of water on an asteroid could support that theory.
The discovery was made using the SOFIA instrument on a Boeing 747SP modified to fly through the stratosphere. Earth’s atmosphere
Sofia’s Faint Object Infrared Camera or FORCAST instrument allowed astronomers to detect water molecules on Iris and Massalia, two asteroids in the asteroid belt during their orbits. Mars and Jupiter can
Dr. Anisia Arredondo, research scientist at Southwestern Research Institute in San Antonio; The lead researcher said astronomers were interested in using Sofia to study asteroids after telescopes found evidence of water on the moon.
The research team had previously used other telescopes to detect them. “Moisture” on both asteroids It is the work of Dr. Maggie McAdam, a research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center. who is also one of this research team
But at that time researchers weren’t sure. Such moisture is caused by water or by other molecular compounds such as hydroxyl.
“Our new survey with Sofia clearly confirms that what they saw was, in fact, water,” Arredondo said.
She added: “But these objects are part of the S-type asteroids, which means they are mostly made of silicates. And until Dr. McAdam’s results, it was assumed they were hydrated.”
Arredondo said. The amount of water the team detected was equivalent to a 350 milliliter water bottle stuck in a cubic meter of soil. This is comparable to the discovery of water on Sofia’s lunar surface in 2020, when the Sofia telescope detected water molecules in a hole. One of the largest meteorites in the moon’s southern hemisphere.
Arredondo said. “Like the water found on the surface of the moon. on the asteroid Water can also bind minerals. The same applies to adsorbing to silicate and becoming stuck or dissolved in silicate glass.”
She said: “When the solar system was forming, different materials formed based on our distance from the sun. This is because objects farther from the Sun cool faster than objects closer to the Sun. That’s why the inner planets such as Earth and Mars Therefore it is a rocky planet. and the outer planets such as Neptune and Uranus. Therefore it is a planet of ice and gas.”
Detecting water on Iris and Massalia could help astronomers study the history of these asteroids. It is said that their birth was far enough away from the sun to avoid the heat evaporating from the boiling water.
Compiled from CNN
