American Invest Hub
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • Business
  • Latest News

American Invest Hub

  • Politics
  • Investing
  • Business
  • Latest News
Latest News

Water molecules detected on the surface of asteroids for the first time

by admin February 18, 2024
February 18, 2024
Water molecules detected on the surface of asteroids for the first time

Water molecules have been detected on the surface of asteroids for the first time, proving that these remnants from the formation of our solar system aren’t just dried-up space rocks.

Astronomers believe that the impact of asteroids crashing into our planet may have helped deliver water and other elements to early Earth, so finding evidence of water on asteroids could support that theory, according to a new study.

The data was collected from an instrument on the now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy airborne telescope. Called SOFIA, the infrared telescope flew aboard a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to fly through the stratosphere above 99% of Earth’s atmosphere, which blocks infrared light.

The Faint Object infraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope, or FORCAST instrument, allowed astronomers to detect water molecules on Iris and Massalia, two asteroids in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Both are more than 223.1 million miles from the sun.

The findings were published Monday in The Planetary Science Journal.

Astronomers were inspired to use SOFIA to study asteroids after the telescope spotted evidence of water on the moon, said lead study author Dr. Anicia Arredondo, research scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.

Evidence of hydration had been found on the two asteroids previously by study coauthor Dr. Maggie McAdam, research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, while using a different telescope. But researchers weren’t sure whether water or another molecular compound such as hydroxyl caused the hydration, Arredondo said.

“Our new observations with SOFIA definitively said that what they saw was indeed water,” Arredondo said. “But these objects are part of the S-class of asteroids, which means they are mostly made of silicates, and up until Dr. McAdam’s results, they were assumed to be completely dry.”

Finding water on dry cosmic surfaces

The amount of water the team detected was roughly equivalent to that of a 12-ounce bottle of water trapped within a cubic meter of soil, Arredondo said, which is comparable SOFIA’s moon finding. The telescope picked up on the signature of water molecules in one of the largest craters in the moon’s southern hemisphere in 2020.

Like the water found on the lunar surface, “on asteroids, water can also be bound to minerals as well as adsorbed to silicate and trapped or dissolved in silicate impact glass,” Arredondo said.

Related article Webb telescope detects crucial molecule in space for the first time

Asteroids are the leftovers from when the planets formed in our solar system. Studying their compositions can tell astronomers where in our cosmic neighborhood the asteroids originated.

“When the solar system was forming, different materials formed based on their distance to the Sun because material (farther) from the Sun cooled down faster (than) material nearer to the Sun,” Arredondo said via email. “That’s why the inner planets like Earth and Mars are made of rock and the outer planets like Neptune and Uranus are made of ice and gas.”

Detecting water on Iris and Massalia can help astronomers trace the history of these particular asteroids, suggesting their formation took place far enough away from the sun to avoid having their water boiled away by heat.

Searching for water across the solar system

The researchers attempted to look for water on two other asteroids using SOFIA, but the detection was too faint. Now, the team is using the James Webb Space Telescope to zero in on different asteroids and search for water signatures.

While the Webb observations are ongoing, Arredondo said the preliminary results have encouraged the team to request time to observe 30 more asteroids using the powerful infrared telescope.

Related article Webb telescope detects mysterious water vapor in a nearby star system

“The JWST telescope is much larger than the SOFIA telescope, so it can collect data with higher quality, and it can collect data for more asteroids in a shorter amount of time,” Arredondo said. “I hope to be able to observe many different asteroids with JWST to look for this signature of water, and hopefully be able to take inventory of the water in the asteroid belt.”

Webb could help astronomers better understand the distribution of water across the solar system, as well as the composition of different types of asteroids.

“We really weren’t expecting to find water on these silicate-rich asteroids,” Arredondo said. “Mostly when we talk about hydration on asteroids, we are talking about more carbon-rich asteroids, like asteroid Bennu that NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission went to. So now I want to look for trends between (the) amount of hydration and composition. I want to know if the carbon-rich asteroids have significantly more water than silicate-rich asteroids, or if they have similar amounts.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
In the West Bank, an independent Palestine remains a distant dream
next post
Navalny is the latest in a long line of Putin critics who met an early death

Related Posts

Ultra-Orthodox man seen spitting at Christian priest in Jerusalem

February 5, 2024

Israel’s invitation to this year’s atomic bomb commemorations...

July 20, 2024

From Ford’s employee pricing discounts to Stellantis’ plant...

April 5, 2025

Scientists spot ‘glory effect’ on a world beyond...

April 21, 2024

Britain’s embattled Conservative government has a new target:...

May 18, 2024

Two Ukrainian servicemen stabbed to death in Germany,...

April 30, 2024

Trump unharmed in apparent assassination attempt at Florida...

September 16, 2024

Spanish region of Catalonia declares drought emergency

February 3, 2024

Record 18 NATO states expected to meet 2%...

February 16, 2024

Donald Trump to send warning letters as 70%...

July 6, 2025

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Latest News

    • How Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown may tank the labor market

      August 4, 2025
    • Trump’s tariff threat looms over India’s Russian oil deals

      August 4, 2025
    • Trump moves nuclear submarines near Russia: what triggered the move and what’s ahead

      August 3, 2025
    • BOE rate cuts offer little relief as UK households face mounting financial strain

      August 3, 2025
    • Retail investors shift focus to Europe as US valuations stretch

      August 3, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (3,583)
    • Investing (2,703)
    • Latest News (2,031)
    • Politics (1,530)
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: americaninvesthub.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 americaninvesthub.com | All Rights Reserved