An international team of scientists has published the results of an analysis of the isotopic composition of a sample from the Ryugu asteroid.
Dust samples collected from the asteroid Ryugu weredelivered to Earth by the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa-2 in 2020. Since then, various research groups have been studying the samples to learn more about asteroids and planet formation in the solar system.
In the new work, planetary scientists have focused theirfocus on the minerals found on the asteroid. The study showed the presence of amino acids and carbonates in the samples. These materials are typically formed in low temperature water environments and are indicative of the formation of Ryugu in the outer solar system.
Findings of anhydrous primary minerals in the Ryugu sample. Image: Noriyuki Kawasaki et al., Science Advances
However, some of the minerals found in the dustfrom an asteroid could not have formed in the outer solar system. These are, for example, spinel, olivine and perovskite, which are formed at high temperatures. In addition, a number of materials in the dust are rich in oxygen isotopes 16, while others are poor. At the same time, some of the minerals resemble comets in composition, while others are meteorites from the inner solar system.
The authors of the work believe that this indicatestransport of material from the inner part of the solar system to the outer. Ryugu, according to planetary scientists, formed in that part of the outer solar system, where most comets form. During its formation, some materials that originated in the inner part of the system were ejected into its outer part and collided with the asteroid, replenishing its composition.
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On the cover: asteroid Ryugu. Image: JAXA, University of Tokyo, Kochi University, Rikkyo University, Nagoya University, Chiba Institute of Technology, Meiji University, University of Aizu, AIST