The asteroid Ryugu and the sampling point taken by Hayabusa 2 (red arrow) A surface sample taken from the asteroid “Ryugu” by Japan has also been found to contain microscopic particles older than the solar system.
According to the US Carnegie Institute of Science and others, the international research team participated by Dr. Jens Barosch, a researcher in space chemistry at the institute, confirmed that ancient particles before the formation of the solar system were mixed through isotope analysis of the Ryugu sample brought by the Hayabusa-2 ‘The Astrophysical Journal. ‘ (The Astrophysical Journal Letters).
Each generation of stars provides the raw material from which the next generation of stars can be formed. In the case of the Sun, it was formed by gravitational collapse when material from another star ejected from a supernova explosion regarding 4.5 billion years ago entered a cloud of gas and dust. The material left over from making the sun forms a disk around it, where planets are formed and collide with each other to develop into planets or become asteroids and meteorites.
The research team analyzed the isotope characteristics of the sample brought by Hayabusa 2 with advanced microanalysis equipment and compared it with materials found in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites that fell to Earth.
About 5% of carbon-rich carbonaceous chondrite meteorites contain pre-solar grains, dating back to regarding 7 billion years.
The research team identified all of the pre-solar ancient grains known so far in the Ryugu sample, and it was pointed out that it was a surprising result that even silicate, which is easily digged through chemical processes occurring in the asteroid matrix, was included.
“Different types of pre-solar grains have their origins in different types of stars and star formation processes,” said Dr. Barosch. can help,” he said.
Ryugu is a near-Earth asteroid with a size of 1 km that orbits the sun every 16 months. was harvested
After that, Hayabusa 2 dropped the capsule sample to Earth in December 2020 and is carrying out additional missions to explore other asteroids.
Ryugu samples brought to Earth by Hayabusa 2 [연합뉴스]
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