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Leone G, Tanaka H. Igneous processes in the small bodies of the Solar System II: Small satellites and dwarf planets. iScience 2024; 27:109613. [PMID: 38638563 PMCID: PMC11024919 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Evidence of hot and cold igneous processes has been reported in small satellites and dwarf planets of the Solar System. Olivine and pyroxenes were detected in the spectral bands of both small satellites and dwarf planets. The aqueously altered form of olivine and serpentine has been detected in the spectrums of Ceres and Miranda hinting at possible hydrothermal processes in their interiors. Once more, the ubiquitous distribution of 26Al in the planetary nebula, then evolving in the protoplanetary disk, contributed to the primordial widespread heating. Volcanism, or cryovolcanism, then developed only in those bodies where long-lived radiogenic elements, and/or tidal processes, were available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Leone
- Instituto de Investigación en Astronomía y Ciencias Planetarias, Universidad de Atacama, Copiapó 153000, Región de Atacama, Chile
- Virtual Muography Institute, Global, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Virtual Muography Institute, Global, Tokyo, Japan
- International Muography Research Organization (MUOGRAPHIX), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Earthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113 -0032, Japan
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2
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Howard CM, Wood IG, Knight KS, Fortes AD. Ab initio simulations of α- and β-ammonium carbamate (NH 4·NH 2CO 2), and the thermal expansivity of deuterated α-ammonium carbamate from 4.2 to 180 K by neutron powder diffraction. Acta Crystallogr B Struct Sci Cryst Eng Mater 2022; 78:459-475. [PMID: 35702963 PMCID: PMC9254591 DOI: 10.1107/s2052520622002645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Experimental and computational studies of ammonium carbamate have been carried out, with the objective of studying the elastic anisotropy of the framework manifested in (i) the thermal expansion and (ii) the compressibility; furthermore, the relative thermodynamic stability of the two known polymorphs has been evaluated computationally. Using high-resolution neutron powder diffraction data, the crystal structure of α-ammonium carbamate (ND4·ND2CO2) has been refined [space group Pbca, Z = 8, with a = 17.05189 (15), b = 6.43531 (7), c = 6.68093 (7) Å and V = 733.126 (9) Å3 at 4.2 K] and the thermal expansivity of α-ammonium carbamate has been measured over the temperature range 4.2-180 K. The expansivity shows a high degree of anisotropy, with the b axis most expandable. The ab initio computational studies were carried out on the α- and β-polymorphs of ammonium carbamate using density functional theory. Fitting equations of state to the P(V) points of the simulations (run athermally) gave the following values: V0 = 744 (2) Å3 and bulk modulus K0 = 16.5 (4) GPa for the α-polymorph, and V0 = 713.6 (5) Å3 and K0 = 24.4 (4) GPa for the β-polymorph. The simulations show good agreement with the thermoelastic behaviour of α-ammonium carbamate. Both phases show a high-degree of anisotropy; in particular, α-ammonium carbamate shows unusual compressive behaviour, being determined to have negative linear compressibility (NLC) along its a axis above 5 GPa. The thermodynamically stable phase at ambient pressure is the α-polymorph, with a calculated enthalpy difference with respect to the β-polymorph of 0.399 kJ mol-1; a transition to the β-polymorph could occur at ∼0.4 GPa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Howard
- Bayerisches Geoinstitut (BGI), University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Ian G. Wood
- Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin S. Knight
- Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - A. Dominic Fortes
- Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
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3
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Kloprogge JT(T, Hartman H. Clays and the Origin of Life: The Experiments. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12020259. [PMID: 35207546 PMCID: PMC8880559 DOI: 10.3390/life12020259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There are three groups of scientists dominating the search for the origin of life: the organic chemists (the Soup), the molecular biologists (RNA world), and the inorganic chemists (metabolism and transient-state metal ions), all of which have experimental adjuncts. It is time for Clays and the Origin of Life to have its experimental adjunct. The clay data coming from Mars and carbonaceous chondrites have necessitated a review of the role that clays played in the origin of life on Earth. The data from Mars have suggested that Fe-clays such as nontronite, ferrous saponites, and several other clays were formed on early Mars when it had sufficient water. This raised the question of the possible role that these clays may have played in the origin of life on Mars. This has put clays front and center in the studies on the origin of life not only on Mars but also here on Earth. One of the major questions is: What was the catalytic role of Fe-clays in the origin and development of metabolism here on Earth? First, there is the recent finding of a chiral amino acid (isovaline) that formed on the surface of a clay mineral on several carbonaceous chondrites. This points to the formation of amino acids on the surface of clay minerals on carbonaceous chondrites from simpler molecules, e.g., CO2, NH3, and HCN. Additionally, there is the catalytic role of small organic molecules, such as dicarboxylic acids and amino acids found on carbonaceous chondrites, in the formation of Fe-clays themselves. Amino acids and nucleotides adsorb on clay surfaces on Earth and subsequently polymerize. All of these observations and more must be subjected to strict experimental analysis. This review provides an overview of what has happened and is now happening in the experimental clay world related to the origin of life. The emphasis is on smectite-group clay minerals, such as montmorillonite and nontronite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Teunis (Theo) Kloprogge
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, Miagao 5023, Philippines
- Correspondence: (J.T.K.); (H.H.)
| | - Hyman Hartman
- Department of Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Correspondence: (J.T.K.); (H.H.)
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4
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Shi X, Castillo-Rogez J, Hsieh H, Hui H, Ip WH, Lei H, Li JY, Tosi F, Zhou L, Agarwal J, Barucci A, Beck P, Bagatin AC, Capaccioni F, Coates AJ, Cremonese G, Duffard R, Grande M, Jaumann R, Jones GH, Kallio E, Lin Y, Mousis O, Nathues A, Oberst J, Sierks H, Ulamec S, Wang M. GAUSS - genesis of asteroids and evolution of the solar system: A sample return mission to Ceres. Exp Astron (Dordr) 2021; 54:713-744. [PMID: 36915624 PMCID: PMC9998589 DOI: 10.1007/s10686-021-09800-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The goal of Project GAUSS (Genesis of Asteroids and evolUtion of the Solar System) is to return samples from the dwarf planet Ceres. Ceres is the most accessible candidate of ocean worlds and the largest reservoir of water in the inner Solar System. It shows active volcanism and hydrothermal activities in recent history. Recent evidence for the existence of a subsurface ocean on Ceres and the complex geochemistry suggest past habitability and even the potential for ongoing habitability. GAUSS will return samples from Ceres with the aim of answering the following top-level scientific questions: What is the origin of Ceres and what does this imply for the origin of water and other volatiles in the inner Solar System?What are the physical properties and internal structure of Ceres? What do they tell us about the evolutionary and aqueous alteration history of dwarf planets?What are the astrobiological implications of Ceres? Is it still habitable today?What are the mineralogical connections between Ceres and our current collections of carbonaceous meteorites?
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Shi
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Present Address: Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Hejiu Hui
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wing-Huen Ip
- Institute of Astronomy and Space Science, National Central University, Chung Li, Taiwan
| | - Hanlun Lei
- School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Federico Tosi
- Istituto Nazionale di AstroFisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), Rome, Italy
| | - Liyong Zhou
- School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jessica Agarwal
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics, Technical University Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Antonella Barucci
- LESIA-Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, F-92195 Meudon, Principal Cedex, France
| | - Pierre Beck
- CNRS Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Adriano Campo Bagatin
- Universidad de Alicante, Departamento de Física, Ingeniería de Sistemas y Teoría de la Señal, Alicante, Spain
| | - Fabrizio Capaccioni
- Istituto Nazionale di AstroFisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), Rome, Italy
| | - Andrew J. Coates
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Rene Duffard
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Granada, Spain
| | | | - Ralf Jaumann
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Geraint H. Jones
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Surrey, UK
| | - Esa Kallio
- School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, Aalto, Finland
| | - Yangting Lin
- Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Andreas Nathues
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Oberst
- DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Holger Sierks
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Ulamec
- DLR Space Operations and Astronaut Training, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mingyuan Wang
- National Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
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5
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Abstract
Ceres is the largest object in the main belt and it is also the most water-rich body in the inner solar system besides the Earth. The discoveries made by the Dawn Mission revealed that the composition of Ceres includes organic material, with a component of carbon globally present and also a high quantity of localized aliphatic organics in specific areas. The inferred mineralogy of Ceres indicates the long-term activity of a large body of liquid water that produced the alteration minerals discovered on its surface, including ammonia-bearing minerals. To explain the presence of ammonium in the phyllosilicates, Ceres must have accreted organic matter, ammonia, water and carbon present in the protoplanetary formation region. It is conceivable that Ceres may have also processed and transformed its own original organic matter that could have been modified by the pervasive hydrothermal alteration. The coexistence of phyllosilicates, magnetite, carbonates, salts, organics and a high carbon content point to rock–water alteration playing an important role in promoting widespread carbon occurrence.
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Vinogradoff V, Poggiali G, Raponi A, Ciarniello M, De Angelis S, Ferrari M, Castillo-rogez JC, Brucato J, De Sanctis M. Laboratory Investigations Coupled to VIR/Dawn Observations to Quantify the Large Concentrations of Organic Matter on Ceres. Minerals 2021; 11:719. [DOI: 10.3390/min11070719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Organic matter directly observed at the surface of an inner planetary body is quite infrequent due to the usual low abundance of such matter and the limitation of the infrared technique. Fortuitously, the Dawn mission has revealed, thanks to the Visible and InfraRed mapping spectrometer (VIR), large areas rich in organic matter at the surface of Ceres, near Ernutet crater. The origin of the organic matter and its abundance in association with minerals, as indicated by the low altitude VIR data, remains unclear, but multiple lines of evidence support an endogenous origin. Here, we report an experimental investigation to determine the abundance of the aliphatic carbon signature observed on Ceres. We produced relevant analogues containing ammoniated-phyllosilicates, carbonates, aliphatic carbons (coals), and magnetite or amorphous carbon as darkening agents, and measured their reflectance by infrared spectroscopy. Measurements of these organic-rich analogues were directly compared to the VIR spectra taken from different locations around Ernutet crater. We found that the absolute reflectance of our analogues is at least two orders of magnitude higher than Ceres, but the depths of absorption bands match nicely the ones of the organic-rich Ceres spectra. The choices of the different components are discussed in comparison with VIR data. Relative abundances of the components are extrapolated from the spectra and mixture composition, considering that the differences in reflectance level is mainly due to optical effects. Absorption bands of Ceres’ organic-rich spectra are best reproduced by around 20 wt.% of carbon (a third being aliphatic carbons), in association with around 20 wt.% of carbonates, 15 wt.% of ammoniated-phyllosilicate, 20 wt.% of Mg-phyllosilicates, and 25 wt.% of darkening agent. Results also highlight the pertinence to use laboratory analogues in addition to models for planetary surface characterization. Such large quantities of organic materials near Ernutet crater, in addition to the amorphous carbon suspected on a global scale, requires a concentration mechanism whose nature is still unknown but that could potentially be relevant to other large volatile-rich bodies.
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Singh SK, Bergantini A, Zhu C, Ferrari M, De Sanctis MC, De Angelis S, Kaiser RI. Origin of ammoniated phyllosilicates on dwarf planet Ceres and asteroids. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2690. [PMID: 33976207 PMCID: PMC8113531 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23011-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The surface mineralogy of dwarf planet Ceres is rich in ammonium (NH4+) bearing phyllosilicates. However, the origin and formation mechanisms of ammoniated phyllosilicates on Ceres’s surface are still elusive. Here we report on laboratory simulation experiments under astrophysical conditions mimicking Ceres’ physical and chemical environments with the goal to better understand the source of ammoniated minerals on Ceres’ surface. We observe that thermally driven proton exchange reactions between phyllosilicates and ammonia (NH3) could trigger at low temperature leading to the genesis of ammoniated-minerals. Our study revealed the thermal (300 K) and radiation stability of ammoniated-phyllosilicates over a timescale of at least some 500 million years. The present experimental investigations corroborate the possibility that Ceres formed at a location where ammonia ices on the surface would have been stable. However, the possibility of Ceres’ origin near to its current location by accreting ammonia-rich material cannot be excluded. The authors here propose a chemical reaction that forms ammoniated phyllosilicates on Ceres. This process could trigger at a very low temperature, suggesting Ceres evolution in a region different from its current location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh K Singh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.,W. M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Alexandre Bergantini
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.,W. M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.,Federal Center for Technological Education Celso Suckow da Fonseca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cheng Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.,W. M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Marco Ferrari
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Roma, Italy
| | | | | | - Ralf I Kaiser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA. .,W. M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.
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8
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Schröder SE, Poch O, Ferrari M, Angelis S, Sultana R, Potin SM, Beck P, De Sanctis MC, Schmitt B. Dwarf planet (1) Ceres surface bluing due to high porosity resulting from sublimation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:274. [PMID: 33436561 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20494-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The Dawn mission found that the dominant colour variation on the surface of dwarf planet Ceres is a change of the visible spectral slope, where fresh impact craters are surrounded by blue (negative spectral-sloped) ejecta. The origin of this colour variation is still a mystery. Here we investigate a scenario in which an impact mixes the phyllosilicates present on the surface of Ceres with the water ice just below. In our experiment, Ceres analogue material is suspended in liquid water to create intimately mixed ice particles, which are sublimated under conditions approximating those on Ceres. The sublimation residue has a highly porous, foam-like structure made of phyllosilicates that scattered light in similar blue fashion as the Ceres surface. Our experiment provides a mechanism for the blue colour of fresh craters that can naturally emerge from the Ceres environment. The origin of blue ejecta around the fresh craters of dwarf planet Ceres is unknown. Here, the authors show that the blue color results from high porosity of the surface, induced by sublimation of ice-phyllosilicate mixture produced by impacts.
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Schenk P, Scully J, Buczkowski D, Sizemore H, Schmidt B, Pieters C, Neesemann A, O'Brien D, Marchi S, Williams D, Nathues A, De Sanctis M, Tosi F, Russell CT, Castillo-Rogez J, Raymond C. Impact heat driven volatile redistribution at Occator crater on Ceres as a comparative planetary process. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3679. [PMID: 32778649 PMCID: PMC7417549 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17184-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrothermal processes in impact environments on water-rich bodies such as Mars and Earth are relevant to the origins of life. Dawn mapping of dwarf planet (1) Ceres has identified similar deposits within Occator crater. Here we show using Dawn high-resolution stereo imaging and topography that Ceres' unique composition has resulted in widespread mantling by solidified water- and salt-rich mud-like impact melts with scattered endogenic pits, troughs, and bright mounds indicative of outgassing of volatiles and periglacial-style activity during solidification. These features are distinct from and less extensive than on Mars, indicating that Occator melts may be less gas-rich or volatiles partially inhibited from reaching the surface. Bright salts at Vinalia Faculae form thin surficial precipitates sourced from hydrothermal brine effusion at many individual sites, coalescing in several larger centers, but their ages are statistically indistinguishable from floor materials, allowing for but not requiring migration of brines from deep crustal source(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- P Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute/USRA, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - J Scully
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - D Buczkowski
- Johns Hopkins University-Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - H Sizemore
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - B Schmidt
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - C Pieters
- Brown University Providence, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | - D O'Brien
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - D Williams
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - A Nathues
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - M De Sanctis
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Rome, Italy
| | - F Tosi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Rome, Italy
| | - C T Russell
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - C Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA
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10
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Burbine TH, Greenwood RC. Exploring the Bimodal Solar System via Sample Return from the Main Asteroid Belt: The Case for Revisiting Ceres. Space Sci Rev 2020; 216:59. [PMID: 32624627 PMCID: PMC7319314 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-020-00671-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sample return from a main-belt asteroid has not yet been attempted, but appears technologically feasible. While the cost implications are significant, the scientific case for such a mission appears overwhelming. As suggested by the "Grand Tack" model, the structure of the main belt was likely forged during the earliest stages of Solar System evolution in response to migration of the giant planets. Returning samples from the main belt has the potential to test such planet migration models and the related geochemical and isotopic concept of a bimodal Solar System. Isotopic studies demonstrate distinct compositional differences between samples believed to be derived from the outer Solar System (CC or carbonaceous chondrite group) and those that are thought to be derived from the inner Solar System (NC or non-carbonaceous group). These two groups are separated on relevant isotopic variation diagrams by a clear compositional gap. The interface between these two regions appears to be broadly coincident with the present location of the asteroid belt, which contains material derived from both groups. The Hayabusa mission to near-Earth asteroid (NEA) (25143) Itokawa has shown what can be learned from a sample-return mission to an asteroid, even with a very small amount of sample. One scenario for main-belt sample return involves a spacecraft launching a projectile that strikes an object and flying through the debris cloud, which would potentially allow multiple bodies to be sampled if a number of projectiles are used on different asteroids. Another scenario is the more traditional method of landing on an asteroid to obtain the sample. A significant range of main-belt asteroids are available as targets for a sample-return mission and such a mission would represent a first step in mineralogically and isotopically mapping the asteroid belt. We argue that a sample-return mission to the asteroid belt does not necessarily have to return material from both the NC and CC groups to viably test the bimodal Solar System paradigm, as material from the NC group is already abundantly available for study. Instead, there is overwhelming evidence that we have a very incomplete suite of CC-related samples. Based on our analysis, we advocate a dedicated sample-return mission to the dwarf planet (1) Ceres as the best means of further exploring inherent Solar System variation. Ceres is an ice-rich world that may be a displaced trans-Neptunian object. We almost certainly do not have any meteorites that closely resemble material that would be brought back from Ceres. The rich heritage of data acquired by the Dawn mission makes a sample-return mission from Ceres logistically feasible at a realistic cost. No other potential main-belt target is capable of providing as much insight into the early Solar System as Ceres. Such a mission should be given the highest priority by the international scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H. Burbine
- Department of Astronomy, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA 01075 USA
| | - Richard C. Greenwood
- Planetary and Space Sciences, School of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA UK
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11
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Castillo-Rogez JC, Neveu M, Scully JEC, House CH, Quick LC, Bouquet A, Miller K, Bland M, De Sanctis MC, Ermakov A, Hendrix AR, Prettyman TH, Raymond CA, Russell CT, Sherwood BE, Young E. Ceres: Astrobiological Target and Possible Ocean World. Astrobiology 2020; 20:269-291. [PMID: 31904989 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ceres, the most water-rich body in the inner solar system after Earth, has recently been recognized to have astrobiological importance. Chemical and physical measurements obtained by the Dawn mission enabled the quantification of key parameters, which helped to constrain the habitability of the inner solar system's only dwarf planet. The surface chemistry and internal structure of Ceres testify to a protracted history of reactions between liquid water, rock, and likely organic compounds. We review the clues on chemical composition, temperature, and prospects for long-term occurrence of liquid and chemical gradients. Comparisons with giant planet satellites indicate similarities both from a chemical evolution standpoint and in the physical mechanisms driving Ceres' internal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marc Neveu
- Sciences and Exploration Directorate, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
- University of Maryland College Park, Greenbelt, Maryland
| | - Jennifer E C Scully
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Christopher H House
- Department of Geosciences,Penn State Astrobiology Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Lynnae C Quick
- Sciences and Exploration Directorate, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
| | - Alexis Bouquet
- LAM (Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille), Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, UMR 7326, Marseille, France
| | - Kelly Miller
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
| | | | | | - Anton Ermakov
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | | | | | - Carol A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Christopher T Russell
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Edward Young
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California
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12
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Rousseau B, Raponi A, Ciarniello M, Ammannito E, Carrozzo FG, De Sanctis MC, Fonte S, Frigeri A, Tosi F. Correction of the VIR-visible data set from the Dawn mission. Rev Sci Instrum 2019; 90:123110. [PMID: 31893819 DOI: 10.1063/1.5123362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Data acquired at Ceres by the visible channel of the Visible and InfraRed mapping spectrometer (VIR) on board the NASA Dawn spacecraft are affected by the temperatures of both the visible (VIS) and the infrared (IR) sensors, which are, respectively, a charged coupled device and a HgCdTe array. The variations of the visible channel temperatures measured during the sessions of acquisitions are correlated with the variations in the spectral slope and shape for all the mission phases. The IR channel temperature is more stable during the acquisitions; nonetheless, it is characterized by a bimodal distribution whether the cryocooler (and, therefore, the IR channel) is used or not during the visible channel operations. When the infrared channel temperature is high (175 K, i.e., not in use and with the cryocooler off), an additional negative slope and a distortion are observed in the spectra of the visible channel. We developed an empirical correction based on a reference spectrum for the whole dataset; it is designed to correct the two issues related to the sensor temperatures that we have identified. The reference spectrum is calculated to be representative of the global Ceres' surface. It is also made of the data acquired when the visible and infrared channel temperatures are equal to the ones measured during an observation of the Arcturus star by VIR, which is consistent with several ground-based observations. The developed correction allows reliable analysis and mapping to be performed by minimizing the artifacts induced by fluctuations of the VIS temperature. Thanks to this correction, a direct comparison between different mission phases during which the VIR experienced different visible and infrared channel temperatures is now possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Rousseau
- IAPS-INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - A Raponi
- IAPS-INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - M Ciarniello
- IAPS-INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - E Ammannito
- Italian Space Agency (ASI), Via del Politecnico, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - F G Carrozzo
- IAPS-INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - M C De Sanctis
- IAPS-INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - S Fonte
- IAPS-INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - A Frigeri
- IAPS-INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - F Tosi
- IAPS-INAF, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
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13
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Glavin DP, Burton AS, Elsila JE, Aponte JC, Dworkin JP. The Search for Chiral Asymmetry as a Potential Biosignature in our Solar System. Chem Rev 2019; 120:4660-4689. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P. Glavin
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, United States
| | - Aaron S. Burton
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058, United States
| | - Jamie E. Elsila
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, United States
| | - José C. Aponte
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, United States
- Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. 20064, United States
| | - Jason P. Dworkin
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, United States
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14
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Arevalo R, Selliez L, Briois C, Carrasco N, Thirkell L, Cherville B, Colin F, Gaubicher B, Farcy B, Li X, Makarov A. An Orbitrap-based laser desorption/ablation mass spectrometer designed for spaceflight. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2018; 32:1875-1886. [PMID: 30048021 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.8244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The investigation of cryogenic planetary environments as potential harbors for extant life and/or contemporary sites of organic synthesis represents an emerging focal point in planetary exploration. Next generation instruments need to be capable of unambiguously determining elemental and/or molecular stoichiometry via highly accurate mass measurements and the separation of isobaric interferences. METHODS An Orbitrap™ analyzer adapted for spaceflight (referred to as the CosmOrbitrap), coupled with a commercial pulsed UV laser source (266 nm), was used to successfully characterize a variety of planetary analog samples via ultrahigh resolution laser desorption/ablation mass spectrometry. The materials analyzed in this study include: jarosite (a hydrous sulfate detected on Mars); magnesium sulfate (a potential component of the subsurface ocean on Europa); uracil (a nucleobase of RNA); and a variety of amino acids. RESULTS The instrument configuration tested here enables: measurement of major elements and organic molecules with ultrahigh mass resolution (m/Δm ≥ 120,000, FWHM); quantification of isotopic abundances with <1.0% (2σ) precision; and identification of highly accurate masses within 3.2 ppm of absolute values. The analysis of a residue of a dilute solution of amino acids demonstrates the capacity to detect twelve amino acids in positive ion mode at concentrations as low as ≤1 pmol/mm2 while maintaining mass resolution and accuracy requirements. CONCLUSIONS The CosmOrbitrap mass analyzer is highly sensitive and delivers mass resolution/accuracy unmatched by any instrument sent into orbit or launched into deep space. This prototype instrument, which maps to a spaceflight implementation, represents a mission-enabling technology capable of advancing planetary exploration for decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Arevalo
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Laura Selliez
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), UMR 7328 du CNRS, 45071, Orléans, France
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - Christelle Briois
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), UMR 7328 du CNRS, 45071, Orléans, France
| | - Nathalie Carrasco
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - Laurent Thirkell
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), UMR 7328 du CNRS, 45071, Orléans, France
| | - Barnabé Cherville
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), UMR 7328 du CNRS, 45071, Orléans, France
| | - Fabrice Colin
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), UMR 7328 du CNRS, 45071, Orléans, France
| | - Bertrand Gaubicher
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace (LPC2E), UMR 7328 du CNRS, 45071, Orléans, France
| | - Benjamin Farcy
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Xiang Li
- Center for Space Science & Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, 21250, USA
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15
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Carrozzo FG, De Sanctis MC, Raponi A, Ammannito E, Castillo-Rogez J, Ehlmann BL, Marchi S, Stein N, Ciarniello M, Tosi F, Capaccioni F, Capria MT, Fonte S, Formisano M, Frigeri A, Giardino M, Longobardo A, Magni G, Palomba E, Zambon F, Raymond CA, Russell CT. Nature, formation, and distribution of carbonates on Ceres. Sci Adv 2018; 4:e1701645. [PMID: 29546235 PMCID: PMC5851657 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Different carbonates have been detected on Ceres, and their abundance and spatial distribution have been mapped using a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIR), the Dawn imaging spectrometer. Carbonates are abundant and ubiquitous across the surface, but variations in the strength and position of infrared spectral absorptions indicate variations in the composition and amount of these minerals. Mg-Ca carbonates are detected all over the surface, but localized areas show Na carbonates, such as natrite (Na2CO3) and hydrated Na carbonates (for example, Na2CO3·H2O). Their geological settings and accessory NH4-bearing phases suggest the upwelling, excavation, and exposure of salts formed from Na-CO3-NH4-Cl brine solutions at multiple locations across the planet. The presence of the hydrated carbonates indicates that their formation/exposure on Ceres' surface is geologically recent and dehydration to the anhydrous form (Na2CO3) is ongoing, implying a still-evolving body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Giacomo Carrozzo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Raponi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Julie Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Bethany L. Ehlmann
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Simone Marchi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
- Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - Nathaniel Stein
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mauro Ciarniello
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Federico Tosi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Capaccioni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Capria
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Sergio Fonte
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Formisano
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Alessandro Frigeri
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Giardino
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Longobardo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Magni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Ernesto Palomba
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Zambon
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Carol A. Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Christopher T. Russell
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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16
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De Sanctis MC, Ammannito E, McSween HY, Raponi A, Marchi S, Capaccioni F, Capria MT, Carrozzo FG, Ciarniello M, Fonte S, Formisano M, Frigeri A, Giardino M, Longobardo A, Magni G, McFadden LA, Palomba E, Pieters CM, Tosi F, Zambon F, Raymond CA, Russell CT. Localized aliphatic organic material on the surface of Ceres. Science 2017; 355:719-722. [PMID: 28209893 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaj2305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Organic compounds occur in some chondritic meteorites, and their signatures on solar system bodies have been sought for decades. Spectral signatures of organics have not been unambiguously identified on the surfaces of asteroids, whereas they have been detected on cometary nuclei. Data returned by the Visible and InfraRed Mapping Spectrometer on board the Dawn spacecraft show a clear detection of an organic absorption feature at 3.4 micrometers on dwarf planet Ceres. This signature is characteristic of aliphatic organic matter and is mainly localized on a broad region of ~1000 square kilometers close to the ~50-kilometer Ernutet crater. The combined presence on Ceres of ammonia-bearing hydrated minerals, water ice, carbonates, salts, and organic material indicates a very complex chemical environment, suggesting favorable environments to prebiotic chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C De Sanctis
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - E Ammannito
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA.,Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - H Y McSween
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1410, USA
| | - A Raponi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.,Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - F Capaccioni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M T Capria
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - F G Carrozzo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M Ciarniello
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - S Fonte
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M Formisano
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - A Frigeri
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M Giardino
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - A Longobardo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - G Magni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - L A McFadden
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - E Palomba
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - C M Pieters
- Brown University, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - F Tosi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - F Zambon
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - C T Russell
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
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17
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Prettyman TH, Yamashita N, Toplis MJ, McSween HY, Schörghofer N, Marchi S, Feldman WC, Castillo-Rogez J, Forni O, Lawrence DJ, Ammannito E, Ehlmann BL, Sizemore HG, Joy SP, Polanskey CA, Rayman MD, Raymond CA, Russell CT. Extensive water ice within Ceres' aqueously altered regolith: Evidence from nuclear spectroscopy. Science 2016; 355:55-59. [PMID: 27980087 DOI: 10.1126/science.aah6765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The surface elemental composition of dwarf planet Ceres constrains its regolith ice content, aqueous alteration processes, and interior evolution. Using nuclear spectroscopy data acquired by NASA's Dawn mission, we determined the concentrations of elemental hydrogen, iron, and potassium on Ceres. The data show that surface materials were processed by the action of water within the interior. The non-icy portion of Ceres' carbon-bearing regolith contains similar amounts of hydrogen to those present in aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrites; however, the concentration of iron on Ceres is lower than in the aforementioned chondrites. This allows for the possibility that Ceres experienced modest ice-rock fractionation, resulting in differences between surface and bulk composition. At mid-to-high latitudes, the regolith contains high concentrations of hydrogen, consistent with broad expanses of water ice, confirming theoretical predictions that ice can survive for billions of years just beneath the surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- T H Prettyman
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA.
| | - N Yamashita
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA
| | - M J Toplis
- Institut de Recherche d'Astrophysique et Planétologie, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse 31400, France
| | - H Y McSween
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1410, USA
| | - N Schörghofer
- University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - W C Feldman
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA
| | - J Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - O Forni
- Institut de Recherche d'Astrophysique et Planétologie, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse 31400, France
| | - D J Lawrence
- Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - E Ammannito
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - B L Ehlmann
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA.,Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - H G Sizemore
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA
| | - S P Joy
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - C A Polanskey
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - M D Rayman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - C T Russell
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
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18
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Abstract
Space weathering refers to alteration that occurs in the space environment with time. Lunar samples, and to some extent meteorites, have provided a benchmark for understanding the processes and products of space weathering. Lunar soils are derived principally from local materials but have accumulated a range of optically active opaque particles (OAOpq) that include nanophase metallic iron on/in rims formed on individual grains (imparting a red slope to visible and near-infrared reflectance) and larger iron particles (which darken across all wavelengths) such as are often found within the interior of recycled grains. Space weathering of other anhydrous silicate bodies, such as Mercury and some asteroids, produce different forms and relative abundance of OAOpq particles depending on the particular environment. If the development of OAOpq particles is minimized (such as at Vesta), contamination by exogenic material and regolith mixing become the dominant space weathering processes. Volatile-rich bodies and those composed of abundant hydrous minerals (dwarf planet Ceres, many dark asteroids, outer solar system satellites) are affected by space weathering processes differently than the silicate bodies of the inner solar system. However, the space weathering products of these bodies are currently poorly understood and the physics and chemistry of space weathering processes in different environments are areas of active research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carle M Pieters
- Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
| | - Sarah K Noble
- Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington DC, 20546, one: 202-358-2492
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19
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Hiesinger H, Marchi S, Schmedemann N, Schenk P, Pasckert JH, Neesemann A, O'Brien DP, Kneissl T, Ermakov AI, Fu RR, Bland MT, Nathues A, Platz T, Williams DA, Jaumann R, Castillo-Rogez JC, Ruesch O, Schmidt B, Park RS, Preusker F, Buczkowski DL, Russell CT, Raymond CA. Cratering on Ceres: Implications for its crust and evolution. Science 2016; 353:353/6303/aaf4759. [PMID: 27701089 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf4759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Thermochemical models have predicted that Ceres, is to some extent, differentiated and should have an icy crust with few or no impact craters. We present observations by the Dawn spacecraft that reveal a heavily cratered surface, a heterogeneous crater distribution, and an apparent absence of large craters. The morphology of some impact craters is consistent with ice in the subsurface, which might have favored relaxation, yet large unrelaxed craters are also present. Numerous craters exhibit polygonal shapes, terraces, flowlike features, slumping, smooth deposits, and bright spots. Crater morphology and simple-to-complex crater transition diameters indicate that the crust of Ceres is neither purely icy nor rocky. By dating a smooth region associated with the Kerwan crater, we determined absolute model ages (AMAs) of 550 million and 720 million years, depending on the applied chronology model.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Hiesinger
- Institut für Planetologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany.
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - N Schmedemann
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - P Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - J H Pasckert
- Institut für Planetologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
| | - A Neesemann
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - D P O'Brien
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - T Kneissl
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - A I Ermakov
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - R R Fu
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - M T Bland
- U.S. Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
| | - A Nathues
- Max-Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - T Platz
- Max-Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - R Jaumann
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany. Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - J C Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - O Ruesch
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - B Schmidt
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - R S Park
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - F Preusker
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
| | - D L Buczkowski
- John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - C T Russell
- Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
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20
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Buczkowski DL, Schmidt BE, Williams DA, Mest SC, Scully JEC, Ermakov AI, Preusker F, Schenk P, Otto KA, Hiesinger H, O'Brien D, Marchi S, Sizemore H, Hughson K, Chilton H, Bland M, Byrne S, Schorghofer N, Platz T, Jaumann R, Roatsch T, Sykes MV, Nathues A, De Sanctis MC, Raymond CA, Russell CT. The geomorphology of Ceres. Science 2016; 353:353/6303/aaf4332. [PMID: 27701088 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf4332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of Dawn spacecraft Framing Camera image data allows evaluation of the topography and geomorphology of features on the surface of Ceres. The dwarf planet is dominated by numerous craters, but other features are also common. Linear structures include both those associated with impact craters and those that do not appear to have any correlation to an impact event. Abundant lobate flows are identified, and numerous domical features are found at a range of scales. Features suggestive of near-surface ice, cryomagmatism, and cryovolcanism have been identified. Although spectroscopic analysis has currently detected surface water ice at only one location on Ceres, the identification of these potentially ice-related features suggests that there may be at least some ice in localized regions in the crust.
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Affiliation(s)
- D L Buczkowski
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.
| | - B E Schmidt
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | | | - S C Mest
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - J E C Scully
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011, USA
| | - A I Ermakov
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - F Preusker
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - P Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - K A Otto
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - H Hiesinger
- Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - D O'Brien
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - H Sizemore
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - K Hughson
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - H Chilton
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - M Bland
- United States Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
| | - S Byrne
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - N Schorghofer
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - T Platz
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - R Jaumann
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - T Roatsch
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - M V Sykes
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - A Nathues
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - M C De Sanctis
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziale INAF, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - C A Raymond
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011, USA
| | - C T Russell
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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21
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Combe JP, McCord TB, Tosi F, Ammannito E, Carrozzo FG, De Sanctis MC, Raponi A, Byrne S, Landis ME, Hughson KHG, Raymond CA, Russell CT. Detection of local H2O exposed at the surface of Ceres. Science 2016; 353:353/6303/aaf3010. [PMID: 27701085 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf3010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The surface of dwarf planet Ceres contains hydroxyl-rich materials. Theories predict a water ice-rich mantle, and water vapor emissions have been observed, yet no water (H2O) has been previously identified. The Visible and InfraRed (VIR) mapping spectrometer onboard the Dawn spacecraft has now detected water absorption features within a low-illumination, highly reflective zone in Oxo, a 10-kilometer, geologically fresh crater, on five occasions over a period of 1 month. Candidate materials are H2O ice and mineral hydrates. Exposed H2O ice would become optically undetectable within tens of years under current Ceres temperatures; consequently, only a relatively recent exposure or formation of H2O would explain Dawn's findings. Some mineral hydrates are stable on geological time scales, but their formation would imply extended contact with ice or liquid H2O.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Philippe Combe
- Bear Fight Institute, 22 Fiddler's Road, P.O. Box 667, Winthrop, WA 98862, USA.
| | - Thomas B McCord
- Bear Fight Institute, 22 Fiddler's Road, P.O. Box 667, Winthrop, WA 98862, USA
| | - Federico Tosi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Ammannito
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Rome, Italy. Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Andrea Raponi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Rome, Italy
| | - Shane Byrne
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Kynan H G Hughson
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Christopher T Russell
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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