Articles tagged with Asteroids
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A team from Heidelberg University discovered a new class of asteroids rich in water, similar to dwarf planet Ceres. The small bodies are thought to have formed in a cold region at the edge of the Solar System before being impacted by gravitational disruptions.
Scientists at the University of Jena have solved a decades-long puzzle by studying quartz samples under extreme pressure. They discovered that characteristic lamellae, which are often used to detect asteroid impacts, form when quartz transforms into a more tightly packed phase under high pressure.
Researchers at Imperial College London found that around half of Earth's zinc inventory came from asteroids in the outer Solar System, contributing to the emergence of life on Earth. The study suggests that this material supplied other important volatiles like water, crucial for sustaining life.
Researchers discovered that asteroid Itokawa is resistant to collision and has survived for nearly 4.2 billion years due to its rubble pile composition. This finding could lead to more effective defense strategies against potentially hazardous asteroids, including the use of nuclear blasts to nudge them off course.
Researchers analyzing Ryugu asteroid samples found minerals produced through water reactions over 4.5 billion years ago, providing insight into the solar system's infancy. The discovery sheds light on asteroid accretion and the formation of planets like Earth.
An international team of scientists suggests that an outward, fast migration of Jupiter can distort the configuration of Trojan swarms, resulting in more stable orbits in one swarm than the other. This new mechanism provides a natural explanation for the observed asymmetry in the number of asteroids in the L4 and L5 swarms.
Researchers recreated interstellar cloud and asteroid conditions to understand how carbonaceous chondrites acquired amino acids, finding that interstellar cloud conditions are resilient to asteroid processing but influence the amount of amino acids present.
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center simulated the formation of amino acids and amines in laboratory conditions, similar to those found in interstellar clouds. The results suggest that these precursors to life can survive their journey to asteroids and potentially form the basis of life on Earth.
Researchers studied asteroid Ryugu's surface composition using X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy and electron microscopy. They found dehydrated serpentine minerals and a water-rich interior, suggesting space weathering plays a key role in asteroid evolution.
A new study suggests that comet impacts can transport oxidants from Europa's surface to its ocean, increasing the probability of finding life. The research model shows that if an impact reaches halfway through the moon's icy shell, meltwater sinks to the ocean, bringing critical chemicals.
New research on asteroid samples from Ryugu reveals similarities to Ivuna-like carbonaceous chondrites, providing a better understanding of the early solar system. The study also sheds light on the accretion of volatiles during planetary formation and finds that Ryugu-like material accounts for ~5-6% of Earth's mass.
Researchers developed a new lidar technique using 3D flash lidar combined with super-resolution algorithm for hazard avoidance during landing. The technique improved the precision and safety of robotic vehicles on Mars, enabling them to navigate through challenging environments.
A Martian megatsunami was likely triggered by an asteroid collision similar to the Chicxulub impact that led to mass extinctions on Earth. The crater formed as a result of this impact may have caused a tsunami that reached over 1,500 kilometres from the center, measuring up to 250 meters tall on land.
A study published in Nature Communications suggests that small asteroids are probably young because of their loose internal structure and low cohesion. This finding has important implications for understanding the geological development of asteroids.
A recent study from the University of Copenhagen reveals that Mars was once covered in a 300-metre-deep ocean, filled with water and icy asteroids carrying biologically important molecules. This finding suggests that conditions allowing the emergence of life were present on Mars long before Earth.
Researchers from Osaka University have successfully detected carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in samples from near-Earth asteroid Ryugu using muon non-destructive analysis. The findings suggest that CI chondrites may be contaminated with terrestrial materials, challenging previous understanding of the solar system's chemical compositions.
The SwRI experiment helped predict the effects of NASA's DART impact on asteroid Dimorphos. The study assessed ejecta momentum enhancement created by the space probe's collision, measuring a 3.4-fold increase in momentum transfer.
An international team has discovered three near-Earth asteroids, including one that is 1.5 kilometers wide and may someday threaten Earth's path. The observations were made possible by the unique capabilities of the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.
The study includes 191 asteroids' radar cross sections and Doppler-frequency broadening, offering clues to asteroids' spin periods and sizes. The research also discovered two metal-rich near-Earth asteroids and five possible enstatite-rich asteroids, shedding new light on the formation and evolution of the solar system.
Researchers have developed a method to map an asteroid's interior structure based on its spin changes during close encounters with Earth. This technique, called AIME, could help scientists plan more effective defense strategies for asteroids like Apophis, which poses a significant hazard if it were to make impact.
A new surveillance constellation concept aims to detect and track near-Earth asteroids, providing early warning and tracking capabilities. The system consists of six space-based surveyors and a mothership, which work together to monitor the orbits of potentially hazardous asteroids.
Researchers have identified a potential source of shock-darkened meteorites, which could explain discrepancies in how near-Earth asteroids are classified. The asteroid, 1998 OR2, is about 1.5 miles wide and shows characteristics that suggest it has undergone shock darkening.
A Curtin-led research team found asteroid impacts on the Moon millions of years ago coincide with large meteorite impacts on Earth, such as the one that wiped out dinosaurs. The study also reveals that major impact events on Earth were accompanied by smaller impacts, providing new insights into asteroid dynamics.
Scientists from the University of Rochester have provided a more accurate simulation of the impact that formed Earth’s largest crater two billion years ago. The new research suggests the impactor was much larger, about 20 to 25 kilometers in diameter, and traveling at a velocity of 15 to 20 kilometers per second.
Researchers used the Advanced Photon Source to study asteroid fragments from Ryugu, finding they were made of water and carbon dioxide ice. The analysis suggests the asteroid formed over 4 billion years ago in the outer solar system, with a hydrated interior and dryer surface.
Researchers used muon beams to analyze Asteroid Ryugu samples, finding essential elements like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. However, the oxygen abundance relative to silicon was 25% less than expected, suggesting contamination after atmospheric entry.
Researchers located four new craters created by impacts on Mars' surface using data from a seismometer and visuals acquired from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This is the first time that researchers have captured the dynamics of an impact on Mars.
Julie Castillo-Rogez and Martin Jutzi have made significant contributions to understanding asteroids, including their origins and dynamical evolution. Their work has advanced our knowledge of asteroids, from small bodies to planetary scales, with implications for ongoing space missions.
A new study suggests that massive volcanic eruptions were the primary cause of mass extinctions, including the one that wiped out the dinosaurs. The research found a strong temporal connection between flood basalt eruptions and significant climatic events.
Scientists have developed a new method to distinguish between normal land structures and small asteroid craters by analyzing charcoal samples, revealing 30% of impact sites remain unlocated. The study found unique characteristics in impact charcoals that differ from wildfire charcoals.
Researchers found compact fragments in the Aguas Zarcas meteorite that wouldn't break apart, leading to CT scans revealing deformed rocks with the same orientation. The team proposed a hypothesis that asteroids 'spit out' pebbles due to high-speed collisions and thermal cycling, which can cause rock brittleness.
Research on asteroid 2008 TC3 reveals that larger meteorites survived to the ground, contradicting previous assumptions about interior shielding. The study's findings provide new insights into asteroid fragmentation and the origins of space rocks.
A NASA scientist will lead a team in characterizing and understanding Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) with a $848,013 grant. The project aims to predict PHA close approaches and issue warnings to prevent asteroid impacts.
A global team led by researchers from Curtin University used a supercomputer-powered technology to explore the geology of Mars without leaving home. They found that the ancient Martian meteorite NWA 7034 was ejected 5-10 million years ago from the north-east of the Terra Cimmeria - Sirenum province, in the southern hemisphere of Mars.
Asteroids like Bennu and Ryugu appear rough due to the loss of fine-grained regolith caused by tiny space dust grains hopping around on their surfaces. This process may help small asteroids migrate faster through space, affecting their orbits.
Researchers found the moon's crust was highly porous, about one-third as porous as pumice, due to massive impacts that shattered much of the crust. The team estimated the moon experienced double the number of impacts as seen on its surface, which limits constraints on solar system formation and evolution.
Asteroid Bennu's surface is characterized as loosely bound, with a near-subsurface layer composed of weakly bound rock fragments containing twice the void space as the overall asteroid. The study provides new insights into the physical properties of rubble-pile asteroids, with implications for their long-term evolution.
Researchers from the University of Bern and NCCR PlanetS simulated the DART mission impact, finding that it could deform the asteroid near unrecognizably. The study's results suggest that the impact could eject large amounts of material and deflect the asteroid more strongly than previously thought.
The team at Arecibo Observatory successfully captured data on the mysterious asteroid 2019 OK, revealing it was a fast-rotating C-type or S-type asteroid with a diameter of .04 to .08 miles. The findings provide insights into asteroid composition and rotation rates, which can help inform deflection techniques to protect the planet.
Asteroid Psyche's varied surface suggests a dynamic history, with metallic eruptions, asteroid-shaking impacts, and a lost rocky mantle. The new maps hint at the asteroid's ancient core, which could be composed of silicate-rich material that has since disappeared.
The samples returned from the Hayabusa2 mission provide valuable insights into the formation and evolution of our solar system. The study found that Ryugu contains hydrated minerals and evidence of freeze-thawing, indicating that it experienced both liquid and frozen water in its past.
Researchers found that the asteroid is similar to 'Ivuna-type carbonaceous chondrites,' which date back to the solar system's beginnings. The samples show signs of having been soaked in water, but the rock itself appears relatively dry, hinting at similar formation conditions between comets and asteroids.
Researchers analyzed iron samples from asteroid cores to determine the timing of asteroid core cooling and collisions. The study suggests that violent collisions occurred within a 7.8-11.7 million year window after solar system formation, indicating a chaotic early phase.
Researchers propose that Ceres was formed outside the Frost Line, where ammonia ice is abundant, and then pulled into the Asteroid Belt by gravitational instability. Computer simulations support this hypothesis, showing that giant planet formation led to a turbulent environment that scattered objects into stable orbits.
The OSIRIS-APEX mission will study changes in asteroid Apophis caused by its close flyby of Earth. The spacecraft will also approach the surface and fire its thrusters to expose the asteroid's subsurface, enabling scientists to learn more about its material properties and composition.
A team of scientists has identified the last two DNA and RNA nucleobases missing from extraterrestrial samples, shedding light on the potential origin of life on Earth. The discovery suggests that chemical reactions in asteroids can create essential ingredients for life.
Impact craters reveal insights into planetary bodies' evolution, structure, and composition. By studying impact craters on various planets and asteroids, researchers can determine the formation timeline of these celestial bodies and gain knowledge about their interiors.
Researchers suggest that asteroid Ryugu could be a relic of an ancient comet due to its high organic content and spinning top shape. The study proposes a simple physical model that fits the observed data, suggesting that comets can leave behind rocky debris in the inner solar system.
New study suggests surface minerals of outer main-belt asteroids, which are thought to be the source of Earth's water and life, are only stable at low temperatures. This proposal indicates that these asteroids formed in distant orbits and differentiated into different minerals in their mantles and cores.
Researchers from Denmark and Sweden have dated the massive Hiawatha impact crater in Greenland to 58 million years ago, revealing it occurred a few million years after dinosaurs went extinct. The crater's age opens up a new understanding of Earth's evolution during this period.
Scientists have developed a new way to date asteroid collisions, providing a clearer picture of how planets formed. By analyzing the Chelyabinsk meteorite, researchers found evidence of two distinct collision stages, shedding light on the timing and processes involved in planetary formation.
New research suggests that asteroid 16 Psyche is likely harboring a hidden rocky component, contradicting initial assumptions about its iron-rich composition. The study's findings indicate that the asteroid's porosity would be unlikely to remain stable over time, and alternative explanations for its metallic surface must be explored.
The UH-discovered Earth Trojan asteroid is the largest to date, offering valuable data on its orbital stability. Researchers conducted an observational study and analyzed the asteroid's photometric characteristics, shedding light on its properties.
The discovery of 2020 XL5, the second Earth Trojan asteroid, provides significant insights into the early conditions of the Solar System. The asteroid's stable orbit around the L4 or L5 Lagrangian points makes it an ideal candidate for future space missions.
NAU's Cristina Thomas is a renowned planetary astronomer who has received numerous awards for her groundbreaking research on asteroids and planetary defense. She is also recognized for her exceptional teaching and mentorship, making her a role model for underrepresented communities in STEM fields.
The SETI Institute has teamed up with Louisiana State University and Mississippi State University to assist in designing the science program for L-CAM 1, a lunar-based telescope. The team developed two science cases for observing targets based on understanding the benefits and limitations of a lunar observatory.
A new study by Rice University astrophysicist André Izidoro suggests that the sun had rings before planets formed, explaining many solar system features. The model simulates the solar system's formation hundreds of times and reproduces several features missed by previous models, including pressure bumps and rings.
A new model demonstrates the formation of three rings around the Sun, each composed of planetesimals that eventually form planets. The simulations reveal different chemical compositions and masses for Venus, Earth, and Mars, explaining their distinct orbits and asteroid populations.
A researcher developed a computer simulation to predict asteroid impacts and study crater formation. The simulation, built using NASA-designed methods, can generalize results to all metal asteroid impacts.
A groundbreaking study confirms the timing of the Chicxulub asteroid impact, which occurred during the spring-summer growth phase, leading to the extinction of dinosaurs and 75% of life on Earth. The research team used multiple lines of evidence, including fossil pollen, index fossils, and radiometric dating, to pinpoint the exact time...