Scientists discover water on asteroids
Team from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in the US looked at 4 silicate-rich asteroids using the FORCAST instrument
image for illustrative purpose
New York: Scientists have discovered, for the first time, water molecules on the surface of an asteroid.
The team from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in the US looked at four silicate-rich asteroids using the FORCAST instrument from the retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) to isolate the mid-infrared spectral signatures indicative of molecular water on two of them. SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Space Agency.
"Asteroids are leftovers from the planetary formation process, so their compositions vary depending on where they formed in the solar nebula," said lead author Anicia Arredondo, from the SwRI. "Of particular interest is the distribution of water on asteroids, because that can shed light on how water was delivered to Earth," Arredondo added.
Anhydrous, or dry, silicate asteroids form close to the sun while icy materials coalesce farther out. Understanding the distribution of water in our solar system will provide insight into the distribution of water in other solar systems and, because water is necessary for all life on Earth, will drive where to look for potential life, both in our solar system and beyond.
