2024-02-12 11:35:27
NASA scientists have begun analyzing fragments from the asteroid Bennu, with initial evidence showing that the material discovered may have originated from an ancient oceanic world.
A phosphate crust has been discovered on the asteroid, indicating a chemical similarity to steam emanating from Saturn’s moon Enceladus, and strengthening the hypothesis that life on Earth may have originated from asteroidal materials.
The OSIRIS-REx mission, which returned samples from Bennu to Earth following a 7-year journey, is the third mission in history to achieve this feat, providing a rare opportunity for scientists to study asteroid samples.
NASA scientists have just begun analyzing fragments brought back from an asteroid.”Pino“Preliminary evidence suggests that the materials discovered there originated from an ancient ocean world.
This assumption is based on the phosphate crust discovered on the asteroid, which is a phosphate mineral substance that has not been previously observed in meteorites and is rich in calcium and magnesium. Those tiny space rocks that pass through the atmosphere and reach Earth.
The chemistry of this mineral shows an uncanny resemblance to steam emanating from beneath the icy crust of Saturn’s moon Enceladus.
Phosphate is also an essential component of life, adding interest to the hypothesis that life on Earth may have arisen from materials left behind by asteroids when they collided with early Earth.
It is thought that the parent planet that Bennu was part of may have been very similar to Enceladus, but regarding half a size smaller. As the solar system formed, the planet was likely destroyed by a collision with another body, creating thousands of asteroids.
These discoveries are extremely interesting for scientists, given the rare opportunity to study samples from an asteroid. The OSIRIS-REx mission is the third mission in history that enables humans to bring parts of an asteroid to Earth. The round trip to bring samples from Bennu took 7 years, covered a distance of 6.21 billion kilometers, and returned the sample capsule safely in September 2023.
When approached, planetary scientist Dante Lauretta, from the University of Arizona, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, saying: “We will be busy for a very long time… This is a huge amount of samples for us.”
Scientists around the world are analyzing asteroid fragments, examining thousands of particles, the largest of which is 3.5 cm wide. Techniques used in the analysis include X-ray diffraction, which helps in a more in-depth understanding of the nature of the materials detected.
It is worth noting that Bennu is believed to represent material remains from the formation of the solar system, regarding 4.5 billion years ago, and understanding this material is expected to provide valuable information regarding the origins of our solar system. Although the research is still in its early stages, it is expected to make many exciting discoveries in the future, including confirmation of the type of minor planet that produced Bennu. The findings so far are scheduled to be presented at the 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, to be held in Texas.
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