Water was discovered on the surface of asteroids for the first time
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An international group of researchers found water on the asteroids Iris and Massalia. This was done using the SOFIA infrared telescope.
Around a million asteroids revolve around the Sun, and scientists were convinced that the water on them should have evaporated. However, a new study contradicts this theory, writes Science Alert.
The diameter of Iris is 199 kilometers. Researchers note that it is larger than 99% of other asteroids. Iris is located in the belt between Mars and Jupiter – at an average distance from the Sun of 2.39 astronomical units. It rotates around the center of the solar system in 3.7 years.
Massalia has a diameter of 135 kilometers, its position and orbit are similar to Iris.
| Photo: NASA |
Asteroids of the Solar System differ somewhat in composition and structure. Closer to the Sun, silicon asteroids devoid of ice predominate, and farther away – icy.
Scientists hope that studying the distribution of asteroids will help understand the composition and movement of elements in the solar system before the planets and asteroids formed. Their prevalence in exoplanetary systems and the probability of the existence of extraterrestrial life will also become clear.
Note that this is not the first such study. In October 2020, thanks to the stratospheric observatory of infrared astronomy SOFIA, water was discovered on the moon.
Using the Infrared Camera for Faint Objects (FORCAST), water molecules equivalent to approximately 350 milliliters of water in a cubic meter of soil were found on the surface of the Moon.
Scientist from Southwestern Research Institute Anisia Arredondo confirmed that the volume and distribution of water on asteroids is consistent with that found on the Moon: it is locked, bound with minerals and absorbed by silicates.
Scientists also analyzed data from two weaker asteroids – Parthenope and Melpomene – but could not get a result. It is suggested that the FORCAST camera lacks the sensitivity to detect water features, if present.
The team of scientists will continue to investigate the presence of water on other asteroids. However, now they will use the James Webb space telescope, which is optically better.
We previously reported that in 2046, one of the asteroids has a small chance of ruining Valentine’s Day.
Read also: The Webb telescope captured the smallest “loser star”. PHOTO
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