Scientists Finds Evidence of Water Ice on Asteroid's Surface 28 April 2010
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Ice& Stone 2020
Ice & Stone 2020 WEEK 34: AUGUST 16-22 Presented by The Earthrise Institute # 34 Authored by Alan Hale This week in history AUGUST 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 AUGUST 16, 1898: DeLisle Stewart at Harvard College Observatory’s Boyden Station in Arequipa, Peru, takes photographs on which Saturn’s outer moon Phoebe is discovered, although the images of Phoebe were not noticed until the following March by William Pickering. Phoebe was the first planetary moon to be discovered via photography, and it and other small planetary moons are discussed in last week’s “Special Topics” presentation. AUGUST 16, 2009: A team of scientists led by Jamie Elsila of the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland announces that they have detected the presence of the amino acid glycine in coma samples of Comet 81P/ Wild 2 that were returned to Earth by the Stardust mission 3½ years earlier. Glycine is utilized by life here on Earth, and the presence of it and other organic substances in the solar system’s “small bodies” is discussed in this week’s “Special Topics” presentation. AUGUST 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 AUGUST 17, 1877: Asaph Hall at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. discovers Mars’ larger, inner moon, Phobos. Mars’ two moons, and the various small moons of the outer planets, are the subject of last week’s “Special Topics” presentation. AUGUST 17, 1989: In its monthly batch of Minor Planet Circulars (MPCs), the IAU’s Minor Planet Center issues MPC 14938, which formally numbers asteroid (4151), later named “Alanhale.” I have used this asteroid as an illustrative example throughout “Ice and Stone 2020” “Special Topics” presentations. -
Untangling the Formation and Liberation of Water in the Lunar Regolith
Untangling the formation and liberation of water in the lunar regolith Cheng Zhua,b,1, Parker B. Crandalla,b,1, Jeffrey J. Gillis-Davisc,2, Hope A. Ishiic, John P. Bradleyc, Laura M. Corleyc, and Ralf I. Kaisera,b,2 aDepartment of Chemistry, University of Hawai‘iatManoa, Honolulu, HI 96822; bW. M. Keck Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawai‘iatManoa, Honolulu, HI 96822; and cHawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai‘iatManoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 Edited by Mark H. Thiemens, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, and approved April 24, 2019 (received for review November 15, 2018) −8 −6 The source of water (H2O) and hydroxyl radicals (OH), identified between 10 and 10 torr observed either an ν(O−H) stretching − − on the lunar surface, represents a fundamental, unsolved puzzle. mode in the 2.70 μm (3,700 cm 1) to 3.33 μm (3,000 cm 1) region The interaction of solar-wind protons with silicates and oxides has exploiting infrared spectroscopy (7, 25, 26) or OH/H2Osignature been proposed as a key mechanism, but laboratory experiments using secondary-ion mass spectrometry (27) and valence electron yield conflicting results that suggest that proton implantation energy loss spectroscopy (VEEL) (28). However, contradictory alone is insufficient to generate and liberate water. Here, we dem- studies yielded no evidence of H2O/OH in proton-bombarded onstrate in laboratory simulation experiments combined with minerals in experiments performed under ultrahigh vacuum − − imaging studies that water can be efficiently generated and re- (UHV) (10 10 to 10 9 torr) (29). -
SOFIA Successfully Completes
June 2010 - A Quarterly Publication SOFIA successfully completes its ‘first light’ flight BY CATHY WESELBY The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, achieved a major milestone May 26, with its first in-flight night observations. Astronomers call this event for a new observatory “first light.” The highly modified Boeing 747SP jetliner fitted with a 100-inch diameter reflecting telescope took off from its home base at the Aircraft Operations Anthony Wesley photo by NASA Facility in Palmdale, Calif., of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. The in-flight personnel consisted of an international crew from NASA, the Universities Space Research Associa- tion in Columbia, Md., Cornell Univer- sity and the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) in Stuttgart. During the six-hour This composite infrared image of Jupiter was made by Cornell University’s FORCAST camera flight, at altitudes up to 35,000 feet, during the SOFIA observatory’s "first light" flight. A recent visual-wavelength picture of approxi- the crew of 10 scientists, astronomers, mately the same side of Jupiter is shown for comparison. engineers and technicians gathered We’re back! By popular demand, the Astro- gram is resuming publication this month as a quarterly newsletter. It will be available online and in hard- NASA photo by Jim Ross NASA copy format and mailed to onsite mailstops and Ames retirees. The Astrogram will be published every three months. The Astrogram will be available online at http://www.nasa. gov/centers/ames/news/astrogram/ index.html Ames Public Affairs is soliciting Its primary mirror covered by a protective sun shade, the German-built infrared telescope short articles (600 word maximum) nestled in the rear fuselage of NASA's SOFIA flying observatory is easily visible in this close- up image taken during a recent test flight. -
Asteroid Photometric and Polarimetric Phase Curves: Joint Linear-Exponential Modeling
Meteoritics & Planetary Science 44, Nr 12, 1937–1946 (2009) Abstract available online at http://meteoritics.org Asteroid photometric and polarimetric phase curves: Joint linear-exponential modeling K. MUINONEN1, 2, A. PENTTILÄ1, A. CELLINO3, I. N. BELSKAYA4, M. DELBÒ5, A. C. LEVASSEUR-REGOURD6, and E. F. TEDESCO7 1University of Helsinki, Observatory, Kopernikuksentie 1, P.O. BOX 14, FI-00014 U. Helsinki, Finland 2Finnish Geodetic Institute, Geodeetinrinne 2, P.O. Box 15, FI-02431 Masala, Finland 3INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino, strada Osservatorio 20, 10025 Pino Torinese, Italy 4Astronomical Institute of Kharkiv National University, 35 Sumska Street, 61035 Kharkiv, Ukraine 5IUMR 6202 Laboratoire Cassiopée, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, BP 4229, 06304 Nice, Cedex 4, France 6UPMC Univ. Paris 06, UMR 7620, BP3, 91371 Verrières, France 7Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E. Ft. Lowell Road, Tucson, Arizona 85719, USA *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] (Received 01 April, 2009; revision accepted 18 August 2009) Abstract–We present Markov-Chain Monte-Carlo methods (MCMC) for the derivation of empirical model parameters for photometric and polarimetric phase curves of asteroids. Here we model the two phase curves jointly at phase angles գ25° using a linear-exponential model, accounting for the opposition effect in disk-integrated brightness and the negative branch in the degree of linear polarization. We apply the MCMC methods to V-band phase curves of asteroids 419 Aurelia (taxonomic class F), 24 Themis (C), 1 Ceres (G), 20 Massalia (S), 55 Pandora (M), and 64 Angelina (E). We show that the photometric and polarimetric phase curves can be described using a common nonlinear parameter for the angular widths of the opposition effect and negative-polarization branch, thus supporting the hypothesis of common physical mechanisms being responsible for the phenomena. -
Lady Justice
Lady Justice Lady Justice (Latin: Iustitia) is an allegorical personification of the moral force in judicial systems.[1][2] Her attributes are a blindfold, scales, and a sword. She often appears as a pair with Prudentia. Lady Justice originates from the personification of Justice in Ancient Roman art known as Iustitia or Justitia,[3] who is equivalent to the Greek goddess Dike. Contents The goddess Justicia Depiction Scales Blindfold Sword Toga In computer systems Justitia blindfolded and holding a In art balance and a sword. Court of Final Sculpture Appeal, Hong Kong Painting Heraldry See also Goddesses of Justice and related concepts Astronomy Notable programs Female justices of the US Supreme Court Female justices of the UK Supreme Court In fiction References External links The goddess Justicia The origin of Lady Justice was Justitia, the goddess of Justice within Roman mythology. Justitia was introduced by emperor Augustus, and was thus not a very old deity in the Roman pantheon. Justice was one of the virtues celebrated by emperor Augustus in his clipeus virtutis, and a temple of Iustitia was established in Rome on 8 January 13 BC by emperor Tiberius.[3] Iustitia became a symbol for the virtue of justice with which every emperor wished to associate his regime; emperor Vespasian minted coins with the image of the goddess seated on a throne called Iustitia Augusta, and many emperors after him used the image of the goddess to proclaim themselves protectors of justice.[3] Though formally called a goddess with her own temple and cult shrine in Rome, it appears that she was from the onset viewed more as an artistic symbolic personification rather than as an actual deity with religious significance. -
Ceres: Astrobiological Target and Possible Ocean World
ASTROBIOLOGY Volume 20 Number 2, 2020 Research Article ª Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1999 Ceres: Astrobiological Target and Possible Ocean World Julie C. Castillo-Rogez,1 Marc Neveu,2,3 Jennifer E.C. Scully,1 Christopher H. House,4 Lynnae C. Quick,2 Alexis Bouquet,5 Kelly Miller,6 Michael Bland,7 Maria Cristina De Sanctis,8 Anton Ermakov,1 Amanda R. Hendrix,9 Thomas H. Prettyman,9 Carol A. Raymond,1 Christopher T. Russell,10 Brent E. Sherwood,11 and Edward Young10 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. Key Words: Ceres—Ocean world—Astrobiology—Dawn mission. Astro- biology 20, xxx–xxx. 1. Introduction these bodies, that is, their potential to produce and maintain an environment favorable to life. The purpose of this article arge water-rich bodies, such as the icy moons, are is to assess Ceres’ habitability potential along the same lines Lbelieved to have hosted deep oceans for at least part of and use observational constraints returned by the Dawn their histories and possibly until present (e.g., Consolmagno mission and theoretical considerations. -
Arxiv:1803.01452V1 [Astro-Ph.EP] 5 Mar 2018
The when and where of water in the history of the universe Karla de Souza Torres1, and Othon Cabo Winter2 1CEFET-MG, Curvelo, Brazil; E-mail: [email protected] 2UNESP, Grupo de Din^amica Orbital & Planetologia, Guaratinguet´a,Brazil E-mail: [email protected] Abstract It is undeniable that life as we know it depends on liquid water. It is difficult to imagine any biochemical machinery that does not require water. On Earth, life adapts to the most diverse environments and, once established, it is very resilient. Considering that water is a common compound in the Universe, it seems possible (maybe even likely) that one day we will find life elsewhere in the universe. In this study, we review the main aspects of water as an essential compound for life: when it appeared since the Big Bang, and where it spread throughout the diverse cosmic sites. Then, we describe the strong relation between water and life, as we know it. Keywords water; life; universe; H2O; astrobiology 1. Introduction. Why water is essential for life? It is well known that liquid water has played the essential and undeniable role in the emergence, development, and maintenance of life on Earth. Two thirds of the Earth's surface is covered by water, however fresh water is most valuable as a resource for animals and plants. Thus, sustain- ability of our planet's fresh water reserves is an important issue as population numbers increase. Water accounts for 75% of human body mass and is the major constituent of organism fluids. All these facts indicate that water is one of the most important elements for life on Earth. -
Astronomical Observations of Volatiles on Asteroids
Astronomical Observations of Volatiles on Asteroids Andrew S. Rivkin The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Humberto Campins University of Central Florida Joshua P. Emery University of Tennessee Ellen S. Howell Arecibo Observatory/USRA Javier Licandro Instituto Astrofisica de Canarias Driss Takir Ithaca College and Planetary Science Institute Faith Vilas Planetary Science Institute We have long known that water and hydroxyl are important components in meteorites and asteroids. However, in the time since the publication of Asteroids III, evolution of astronomical instrumentation, laboratory capabilities, and theoretical models have led to great advances in our understanding of H2O/OH on small bodies, and spacecraft observations of the Moon and Vesta have important implications for our interpretations of the asteroidal population. We begin this chapter with the importance of water/OH in asteroids, after which we will discuss their spectral features throughout the visible and near-infrared. We continue with an overview of the findings in meteorites and asteroids, closing with a discussion of future opportunities, the results from which we can anticipate finding in Asteroids V. Because this topic is of broad importance to asteroids, we also point to relevant in-depth discussions elsewhere in this volume. 1 Water ice sublimation and processes that create, incorporate, or deliver volatiles to the asteroid belt 1.1 Accretion/Solar system formation The concept of the “snow line” (also known as “water-frost line”) is often used in discussing the water inventory of small bodies in our solar system. The snow line is the heliocentric distance at which water ice is stable enough to be accreted into planetesimals. -
IVO): Shapes Worlds As a Fundamental Follow the Heat! Planetary Process
What could the Io Volcano Observer (in Discovery Phase A) do for the study of small bodies? Alfred McEwen UA/LPL June 2, 2020 SBAG Artistic representation of P/2012 F5 (Gibbs). / SINC Understand how tidal heating Io Volcano Observer (IVO): shapes worlds as a fundamental Follow the Heat! planetary process magma ocean Io may have a lithosphere magma ocean deep mantle distributedmagma "sponge" University of Arizona: Principal Investigator Regents’ Professor Alfred McEwen, science operations, student collaborations Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab: Mission and spacecraft design, build, and management; Narrow-Angle Camera; Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding shallow mantle University of California Los Angeles: Dual Fluxgate IVO will orbit Jupiter for Largest volcanic Magnetometers Jet Propulsion Lab: Radio science, navigation 3.9 years, making ten eruptions in the German Aerospace Center: Thermal Mapper close passes by Io Solar System University of Bern: Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer U.S. Geological Survey: Deputy PI, cartography IVO Trajectory and Jupiter Orbit • Launch Dec 2028 (2nd launch window for Discovery 2020) • Mars and Earth Gravity Assists • Fly through asteroid belt twice • Orbit inclined ~45º to Jupiter’s orbital plane • Jupiter Orbit Insertion Aug 2033 Ten Io encounters in nominal mission. Long orbital periods mean that IVO crosses orbits of outer irregular moons. 3 IVO Science Enhancement Options (SEOs) or other opportunities of interest to SBAG • Potential observations of Phobos and Deimos • Close encounter with a main-belt -
The Themis-Beagle Families: Clues Into Space Weathering Processes on Primitive Asteroids
EPSC Abstracts Vol. 10, EPSC2015-96, 2015 European Planetary Science Congress 2015 EEuropeaPn PlanetarSy Science CCongress c Author(s) 2015 The Themis-Beagle families: clues into space weathering processes on primitive asteroids S. Fornasier (1,2), D. Perna (1), C.Lantz (1,2), M.A. Barucci (1) (1) LESIA-Observatoire de Paris, France ([email protected]), (2) Univ Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France Abstract terial, water ice, and organics. Contemporaneously, Campins et al. [7] derived that water ice is evenly dis- The Themis family is a natural laboratory to study the tributed over the entire Themis surface using spectra asteroids-comets continuum and space weathering ef- obtained at four different rotational phases. Neverthe- fects. Recently water ice and organics were detected less the nature of the 3.1 µm feature on 24 Themis on 24 Themis indicating that the Themis family may is still a matter of debate, and very recently Beck et be an important reservoir of ice. Moreover, some main al. [8] proposed the hydrated iron oxide goethite as belt comets may be related with the Themis family alternative interpretation of this feature. However, Je- because of orbital proximities and spectral properties witt & Guilbert-Lepoutre[9] stress that goethite, when analogies. Within the old Themis family members, a found in meteorites, is a product of aqueous alteration young sub-family, Beagle, formed less than 10 Myr in the terrestrial environment and that extraterrestrial ago, has been identified. Thus the Themis family is goethite in freshly fallen meteorites is unknown. very important to shed light on the asteroid-cometcon- The discovery of the presence of water ice and/or tinuum, to constrain the abundances of water ices in hydrated minerals such goethite on 24 Themis indi- the outer part of the main belt, and to probe space cates that Themis family may be an important reser- weathering effects on old Themis and young Beagle voir of ice and that possibly ice may exists in the mem- families’ members. -
Spectral Study of Asteroids and Laboratory Simulation of Asteroid Organics
University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2015 Spectral Study of Asteroids and Laboratory Simulation of Asteroid Organics Kelsey Hargrove University of Central Florida Part of the Astrophysics and Astronomy Commons, and the Physics Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Hargrove, Kelsey, "Spectral Study of Asteroids and Laboratory Simulation of Asteroid Organics" (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 1265. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/1265 SPECTRAL STUDY OF ASTEROIDS AND LABORATORY SIMULATED ASTEROID ORGANICS by KELSEY D. HARGROVE B.S. University of Central Florida, 2009 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Physics in the College of Sciences at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Spring Term 2015 Major Professor: Joshua Colwell c 2015 Kelsey D. Hargrove ii ABSTRACT We investigate the spectra of asteroids at near- and mid-infrared wavelengths. In 2010 and 2011 we reported the detection of 3 mm and 3.2-3.6 mm signatures on (24) Themis and (65) Cybele indicative of water-ice and complex organics [1] [2] [3]. We further probed other primitive asteroids in the Cybele dynamical group and Themis family, finding diversity in the shape of their 3 mm [4] [5] [6] and 10 mm spectral features [4]. -
Organic Matter and Associated Minerals on the Dwarf Planet Ceres
minerals Review Organic Matter and Associated Minerals on the Dwarf Planet Ceres Maria Cristina De Sanctis 1,* and Eleonora Ammannito 2 1 Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), 00133 Rome, Italy 2 Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, Via del Politecnico, 00133 Roma, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] 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. Keywords: Ceres; asteroids; organics; aliphatics; solar system Citation: De Sanctis, M.C.; Ammannito, E. Organic Matter and Associated Minerals on the Dwarf 1. Ceres: A Dwarf Planet in the Main Belt Planet Ceres. Minerals 2021, 11, 799.