Asteroid Sample Could Reveal Our Solar System's Origin Story

Just over a year after Japan's Hayabusa2 mission returned the first subsurface sample of an asteroid to Earth, scientists have determined that the near-Earth asteroid Ryugu is a pristine remnant from the formation of our solar system. From a report: This was the first material to be returned to Earth from a carbon-rich asteroid. These asteroids can reveal how our cosmic corner of the universe was formed. The organic and hydrated minerals locked within these asteroids could also shed light on the origin of the building blocks of life. Ryugu is a dark, diamond-shaped asteroid that measures about 3,000 feet (1 kilometer) wide. Hayabusa2 collected one sample from the asteroid's surface on February 22, 2019, then fired a copper "bullet" into the asteroid to create a 33-foot wide impact crater. A sample was collected from this crater on July 11, 2019. Then, Hayabusa2 flew by Earth and dropped the sample off in Australia last December.

The C-type, or carbonaceous, asteroid is much darker than scientists originally thought, only reflecting about 2% of the light that hits it, according to one study published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy. After opening the sample, scientists were surprised to find that the spacecraft collected 5.4 grams from the asteroid -- much more than the single gram they were expecting, said Toru Yada, lead study author and associate senior researcher at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. In the second study, also published Monday in Nature Astronomy, the researchers determined that Ryugu is made of clay and other hydrated minerals, with a number of carbonates and organics inside the sample.

I always wondered how small bodies stayed hot

[jfdavis668]

Many asteroids and pieces of them show differentiation of material and signs of chemical reactions that required them to be hot for extended periods. Far longer than the heat generated by matter coming together in those fairly small objects. Someone finally explained that radioactive aluminum was widespread in the solar nebula, and keep these bodies hot for extended amounts of time. Allowing iron to sink to the bottom and water to remain liquid to form sediment layers. Very cool (or hot)

Re: I always wondered how small bodies stayed hot

[algaeman]

Does that mean that Mg-26 should be enriched in a stratified object like this?

Re:

[jfdavis668]

The Aluminum 26 was all through the solar nebula, and it would have all decayed into Mg-26. Anywhere there was a concentration of Aluminum would have the Magnesium. Not sure it would be higher in stratified objects, but since they formed when there was still plenty around, they would probably have more.

Re: I always wondered how small bodies stayed hot

[backslashdot]

Diet and exercise.

It was a good friend

[Dirk Becher]

Now after the prequels it's just a psychotic manchild that gave birth by pure accident.

More unscientific science?

[Anonymous Coward]

Is this going to be another instance where we make suppositions about what we don't know based on what we do without any definitive data and call it science? I mean it's great fun and all but we really should come up with a separate term when we're doing things devoid of the scientific method.