24/7 Space News
IRON AND ICE
New Findings from Ryugu Samples Reveal Cometary Organic Matter
A carbonaceous material found in the melt splash. The carbonaceous material shows spongy texture and contains small iron sulfide inclusions. This is similar to the primitive organic matters found in cometary dust. Megumi Matsumoto et al.
New Findings from Ryugu Samples Reveal Cometary Organic Matter
by Riko Seibo
Sendai, Japan (SPX) Jan 25, 2024

In a recent development that adds another layer to our understanding of the solar system's complexity, researchers have uncovered intriguing evidence from the asteroid Ryugu. This near-Earth asteroid, which came into the spotlight following the successful Hayabusa2 mission by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), continues to offer rich insights, particularly about the presence and transportation of organic materials in space.

The Hayabusa2 mission, a landmark endeavor in space exploration, brought back samples from Ryugu, providing a rare opportunity to directly study materials from an asteroid's surface. These samples are proving to be a veritable trove of information, not just about Ryugu but about broader solar system processes.

Leading the research team is Assistant Professor Megumi Matsumoto from the Earth Science Department at Tohoku University Graduate School of Science. The findings, detailed in a paper published in Science Advances on January 19, 2024, focus on the analysis of Ryugu's surface materials and their interaction with cometary matter.

Ryugu's lack of a protective atmosphere means its surface is directly exposed to the harsh environment of space. This exposure has significant implications, particularly with how the asteroid interacts with interplanetary dust. Matsumoto and her team's investigation revealed that Ryugu's surface bears the marks of these interactions in the form of small 'melt splashes,' which are between 5 to 20 micrometers in size. These formations are a direct result of the asteroid being bombarded by micrometeoroids of cometary dust.

"Our 3D CT imaging and chemical analyses showed that the melt splashes consist mainly of silicate glasses with voids and small inclusions of spherical iron sulfides," Matsumoto explains. This intricate composition indicates a mixture of Ryugu's hydrous silicates and cometary dust.

The process that creates these melt splashes is both violent and revealing. When cometary dust impacts the surface of Ryugu, it induces heating, mixing, and then rapid cooling of the materials involved. This sequence results in the unique structures observed by the team. The voids found in these splashes are particularly telling, as they likely formed from water vapor released from Ryugu's hydrous silicates, captured within the rapidly cooling material.

Further analysis brought to light small carbonaceous materials within these melt splashes. These materials are rich in nano-pores and iron sulfide inclusions, bearing a striking resemblance to primitive organic matter found in cometary dust. However, a notable difference is their lack of nitrogen and oxygen, setting them apart chemically from typical organic matter.

"We propose that the carbonaceous materials formed from cometary organic matter via the evaporation of volatiles, such as nitrogen and oxygen, during the impact-induced heating. This suggests that cometary matter was transported to the near-Earth region from the outer solar system," Matsumoto adds. This discovery is significant, as it supports the hypothesis that organic matter, potentially the very seeds of life, could have been delivered to Earth from space.

The team's future efforts will focus on examining more Ryugu samples to uncover additional melt splashes, which could provide further insights into the influx of primitive space materials to Earth. This ongoing research not only deepens our understanding of asteroids like Ryugu but also sheds light on the complex journey of organic materials through the solar system.

Research Report:Microstructural and chemical features of impact melts on Ryugu particle surfaces: Records of interplanetary dust hit on asteroid Ryugu

Related Links
Tohoku University
Asteroid and Comet Mission News, Science and Technology

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
IRON AND ICE
Samples from a Wild comet reveal a surprising past
St. Louis, MO (SPX) Jan 18, 2024
Eighteen years after NASA's Stardust mission returned to Earth with the first samples from a known comet, the true nature of that icy object is coming into focus. Stardust collected material from Wild 2, a comet that likely formed beyond Neptune and currently orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Painstaking analyses of the microscopic samples, recently described in the journal Geochemistry, have revealed a surprising truth about the comet's origins and history, said Ryan Ogliore, an associate ... read more

IRON AND ICE
Northrop Grumman marks 20th ISS resupply mission with Cygnus launch

Innovating Space Nutrition: BioNutrients' 5-Year Space Journey Nears End

Virgin Galactic Marks 11th Spaceflight with Full Passenger Manifest

SpaceX launches 20th Northrop Grumman ISS resupply mission

IRON AND ICE
Sidus Space's 3D Hybrid satellite 'LizzieSat' ready for launch

MITRE and MDC team up to advance at Midland Spaceport

Rocket Lab starts busy year with successful booster recovery

PLD Space secures contract for Spanish small satellite launcher development

IRON AND ICE
A New Perspective Sols 4082-4083

Confirmation of ancient lake on Mars builds excitement for Perseverance rover's samples

NASA helicopter's mission ends after three years on Mars

New Year, New images from Perseverance on Mars

IRON AND ICE
BIT advances microbiological research on Chinese Space Station

Shenzhou 18 and 19 crews undertake intensive training for next missions

Tianzhou 6 burns up safely reentering Earth

Yan Hongsen's future dreams as 'Rocket Boy'

IRON AND ICE
Sidus Space, Inc. Announces $5.6 Million Public Offering Pricing

Australian Space Startups to Benefit from UniSA's Enhanced Accelerator Program

Eutelsat Sells OneWeb Share to Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, Advances Asset Optimization

Boosting European Space Ambitions: EC, EIB, and ESA Unite for Sectoral Support

IRON AND ICE
Salsa's last dance targets reentry over South Pacific

ClearSpace and Orbit Fab Forge Strategic Partnership for In-Space Refueling Services

Reticulate Micro's new division, Reticulate Space, brings VAST tech to satellite communications

SAFE Orbit Act: A Step Towards Safer and More Efficient Space Operations

IRON AND ICE
UC Irvine-led team unravels mysteries of planet formation and evolution in distant solar system

NASA's Hubble Finds Water Vapor in Small Exoplanet's Atmosphere

New Insights into Earth's Earliest Life Forms Discovered in Palaeoarchaean Rock Samples

Revolutionizing Chemistry: Over 4 Billion Early-Life Reactions Simulated via Blockchain

IRON AND ICE
New images reveal what Neptune and Uranus really look like

Researchers reveal true colors of Neptune, Uranus

The PI's Perspective: The Long Game

Webb rings in the holidays with the ringed planet Uranus

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.