The analysis of the chemical composition of the particles revealed a number of interesting facts. In particular, the particles are similar to carbon chondritic meteorites, especially their subtype CI.
That was to be expected, because Ruge is coal Asteroid, Carbon meteorites are likely to leak out of them, but it is still important to get such confirmation. In addition, the chemical composition of the particles is very similar to that of the solar photosphere (in addition to hydrogen and helium, it is abundant in the sun, but not in dust).
Solar meteorites and carbon asteroids are thought to have undergone no significant change since the formation of the Solar System, which explains their resemblance to the Solar Photosphere: they were formed from the same material as the Sun.
The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa 2 carried surface samples of the asteroid Rugu to Earth. Photo by German Aerospace Center / NASA / Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Asteroid matter has been in contact with hot water at about 37 C for about 5 million years after its formation and then dried up and remains unchanged today. Furthermore, after contact with water, the material was not heated to temperatures above 100 C.
Some – a small percentage – of organic compounds are found in the samples, and most are formed by contact with water. In very small bodies water does not last for a considerable time, so the rug was initially part of a very large object, at least tens of thousands of kilometers in diameter, and then shattered into pieces.
Later, over one and a half billion years, the asteroid’s surface material changed due to the constant radiation of the sun, but the material beneath the surface retained its original properties. In general, the environment and conditions for the formation of the Ruge seem to be similar to those of some comets, in other words, the asteroid formed at a great distance from the Sun.
The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa 2 carried surface samples of the asteroid Rugu to Earth. Photo by German Aerospace Center / NASA / Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
All of these discoveries are part of a larger puzzle – the history of the formation of the solar system – and help us understand where the Earth and its cosmic environment, as well as water, are. Life On our planet.
In the future, more and more samples from asteroids and other celestial bodies will be brought to Earth – NASA’s Osiris-Rex probe with Bennu’s asteroid samples is already flying over us, planning exports of soil samples from Mars, and considering similar missions to Mars satellites. The results of the study were published Science (Soil structure) and Procedures of the Japan Academy b (Interpretation of asteroid evolution).
The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa 2 carried surface samples of the asteroid Rugu to Earth. Photo by German Aerospace Center / NASA / Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
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