Recent research has unveiled that the asteroid Ryugu, a near-Earth body rich in carbon discovered in 2015, has preserved a remarkable record of ancient water activity. This study indicates that liquid water flowed through Ryugu for over a billion years after its formation, a finding that challenges the long-held belief that water-related processes on asteroids ceased early in the solar system”s history.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Tokyo, highlights that microscopic samples collected by Japan”s Hayabusa2 mission reveal significant evidence of past water movement. By analyzing the isotopes of lutetium and hafnium found in the asteroid”s minerals, the team discovered traces that suggest liquid water was present on Ryugu.
According to Tsuyoshi Iizuka, an associate professor involved in the study, the persistence of water on these celestial bodies implies that asteroids like Ryugu may have played a crucial role in delivering water to early Earth, potentially contributing to the formation of its oceans.
The researchers propose that buried ice within Ryugu”s parent body may have melted due to impacts, allowing water to seep through cracks and chemically alter the rock. This process might have eventually led to the fragmentation of the parent body, resulting in the formation of Ryugu itself. The implications of such findings are significant, suggesting that asteroids could have greatly influenced the development of Earth”s atmosphere and oceans.
Utilizing only milligrams of sample material, the research team employed advanced chemical techniques to detect these subtle indicators of water flow. Moving forward, they plan to compare their findings with data from NASA“s mission to the Bennu asteroid and investigate phosphate veins in the samples to refine their dating efforts.
