Articles tagged with Asteroids
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A team of researchers found evidence that solar wind altered the chemical composition of ancient asteroid grains, producing water molecules and providing a possible source for Earth's oceans. The discovery could help future space missions find sources of water on airless worlds.
A new study reveals how Earth's volatile elements, such as hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon, were formed through a combination of deep Earth processes, oceans' formation, and meteor impacts. The research suggests that these elements played a crucial role in creating the habitable environment necessary for life to emerge.
A team of astronomers from the University of Arizona suggests that near-Earth asteroid Kamo`oalewa could be a miniature moon, with its spectrum matching lunar rocks from NASA's Apollo missions. The asteroid's orbit is similar to Earth's but with a slight tilt, making it unlikely to have originated from a typical near-Earth asteroid.
Scientists from the University of Münster used precise isotope measurements to determine that the Moon's heavy bombardment 3.9 billion years ago was caused by continuous impacts of leftover asteroids from the main phase of Earth's formation. The study rules out a sudden increase in impact rate due to outer solar system bodies.
A new model by a SwRI-led team applies geologic evidence to understand how oxygen levels in the Earth's atmosphere evolved. The results indicate that large impacts may have contributed to the scarcity of oxygen, delaying its oxidation.
Researchers found asteroid and comet collisions occurred more frequently than thought, potentially delaying oxygen accumulation in the atmosphere. The study suggests that these impacts may have created an 'oxygen sink' that reduced atmospheric oxygen levels.
Scientists propose sending a spacecraft to Jupiter to observe centaur objects becoming comets, providing insights into the solar system's dynamics and composition. This unique opportunity could reveal the chemical makeup of comets and shed light on how Earth-like planets form.
A recent study suggests that primates and marsupials were among the few tree-dwelling mammals that survived an asteroid impact 66 million years ago. The researchers used computer models and fossil records to find that most surviving mammals did not rely on trees, but some arboreal species may have been versatile enough to adapt.
The study of 42 asteroids provides detailed images and shapes, revealing a variety of asteroid types, including spherical and elongated objects. The densities of the asteroids vary significantly, suggesting different compositions and origins, supporting theories of substantial migration and distinct region formation in the Solar System.
Asteroid Bennu's surface is covered in boulders due to its highly porous rocks, which compress rather than fragment under meteoroid impacts. This contradicts previous observations of fine regolith on similar asteroids, such as Ryugu and Itokawa.
Researchers have successfully sampled Vesta's mantle using meteorites derived from the dwarf planet, resolving the 'missing mantle problem' and providing a record of the earliest era in solar system formation. This breakthrough pushes back our knowledge to just two million years after the beginning of solar system formation.
A study of metal-rich asteroids has found that they have surfaces with 85% metal such as iron and nickel, similar to stony-iron meteorites. The research also identified four possible asteroid families in the main asteroid belt, which may hold clues about their origins.
A team of astronomers used dashcam footage to track a fireball over Slovenia, recovering three space rocks and tracing their origins in the Solar System. The fragments provide insights into the history of our Solar System and potential hazards like Near Earth Objects.
The European facility will study samples from asteroids and the Moon at a macroscopic level, unlocking exciting science on the formation and evolution of planetary bodies. The first instruments will be delivered in summer 2022, with the laboratory expected to fully operational by 2023.
Researchers found significant reservoirs of large organic molecules in protoplanetary disks, providing a potential pathway for life to form elsewhere. The presence of these molecules suggests basic chemical conditions that led to life on Earth could exist more widely across the Galaxy.
Researchers used granular physics to explain the diamond shapes of asteroids Bennu and Ryugu. The models, which previously failed to predict the shape, were improved by adding the concept of material deposition, resulting in a more accurate explanation.
Researchers suggest that Vesta's large troughs were formed by rocks cracking apart due to the planet's weak gravity, contradicting a leading hypothesis. The study uses crater counting methods to explore the relative age of the basins and troughs, indicating they share a similar age.
A doctoral student is launching a project to quadruple the number of known active asteroids by engaging volunteers in the search. The Active Asteroids project, supported by NASA and NSF grants, aims to classify over 10 million asteroid images in the Southern Hemisphere.
Scientists at Carnegie Mellon and University of Washington are developing new software platforms to analyze the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) dataset. The open-source platforms will enable researchers to make sense of big data and address fundamental questions about the universe, such as dark matter and dark energy.
Astronomers Amir Siraj and Avi Loeb found that interstellar objects outnumber objects in our solar system's Oort Cloud. This discovery suggests that there could be substantially more visitors from other star systems.
Researchers found that large asteroids from the outer half of the main asteroid belt strike Earth at least 10 times more often than previously calculated
The Lucy spacecraft is carrying a time-capsule plaque featuring messages from prominent individuals to humanity's descendants. The plaque contains words of advice, wisdom, joy, and inspiration from Nobel Laureates, United States Poet Laureates, and other inspirational figures.
Scientists have reevaluated early Earth impacts, finding a possible x10 increase in bombardment frequency. This could have significantly altered the planet's near-surface chemistry and atmospheric evolution.
Dinosaurs were in decline 76 million years ago due to extinctions outpacing speciations, with herbivores being particularly affected. The asteroid impact may have been the final blow, triggered by a 7°C drop in global temperature and changes in oceanic circulation patterns.
New research from the University of Arizona suggests that asteroid 16 Psyche may not be as dense or metallic as previously predicted. The findings propose an alternative origin story where 16 Psyche is composed of 82.5% metal, 7% low-iron pyroxene, and 10.5% carbonaceous chondrite.
A new study at Lund University tracked meteorite flux to Earth over 500 million years, revealing a stable flux contrary to current theories. Researchers analyzed sedimentary rocks and extracted chromium oxide grains from nearly 10,000 meteorites.
Researchers recovered 10,000 extraterrestrial chrome-spinel grains to establish a paleoflux record of meteorites falling to Earth. The results suggest that meteorite delivery has been largely stable over the past 500 million years.
Research suggests that heat generated by asteroid impacts could enable aqueous alteration and organic solid formation, increasing the number of potential sources of water and life's origins. The study found that craters over 1km in radius can support organic substance formation within a 2 AU distance from the impact point.
A team of international scientists identified 47 problems hindering tsunami prevention and mitigation. The review highlights the need for unified databases, research, and improved analysis methods to better understand and prepare for tsunamis.
An international team of researchers searched for pieces of the small asteroid 2018 LA, tracked in space and observed to impact Botswana on June 2, 2018. The recovered meteorites showed it likely came from Vesta, a second-largest asteroid in our Solar System.
Researchers found a nanoscale aqueous fluid inclusion containing at least 15% carbon dioxide in the Sutter's Mill meteorite, confirming calcite crystals can contain liquid water and CO2. The discovery provides insights into the origins of the meteorite's parent asteroid and the solar system's early history.
Researchers have collected and analyzed over 2 decades of micrometeorites from Antarctica, determining a total annual flux of 5,200 tons. Most come from comets (80%), while the rest originate from asteroids.
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will perform a final flyover of asteroid Bennu, capturing high-resolution images and collecting data from the asteroid's surface and science instruments. The mission aims to understand the extent of the disturbance caused by the sample collection event.
Researchers discovered a low-altitude meteoritic touchdown event reaching the Antarctic ice sheet 430,000 years ago, leaving behind chondritic bulk major particles. The study highlights the importance of reassessing medium-sized asteroid threats and has implications for identifying similar events in deep sea sediment cores.
Researchers at the Arecibo Observatory have developed a technique to analyze radar signals bounced off asteroids' surfaces, providing crucial information on their physical properties. This method can help planetary defense prepare for asteroids on a collision course with Earth by identifying porous, fluffy, or rocky surfaces.
Researchers found a 4.565 billion-year-old meteorite with an andesite crust, unlike known asteroids, suggesting andesitic crusts may have been common in early protoplanets.
Researchers have found asteroid dust inside a Chicxulub impact crater, confirming the link between asteroid impacts and dinosaur extinction. The discovery seals the deal, with elevated levels of iridium and other asteroid elements matching those in geologic layers worldwide.
A new species of mosasaur with shark-like cutting teeth has been discovered in Morocco, highlighting the diverse range of predators that thrived in ancient seas. The discovery suggests that marine reptiles were expanding their diversity before they went extinct, contradicting previous assumptions about ecosystem decline.
Researchers found that asteroid Ryugu's water content is lower than expected, suggesting its parent body dried out before formation. The study suggests that a heating event altered the parent asteroid, leaving Ryugu drier.
A research team led by Dr. Vicky Hamilton has identified a potentially new meteorite parent asteroid through analysis of the Almahata Sitta meteorite. The study suggests that the parent body was an asteroid roughly the size of Ceres, formed in the presence of water under intermediate temperatures and pressures.
Researchers found prebiotic organic molecule hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) in three carbon-rich meteorites, validating theories of its role in forming organic compounds. HMT is thought to be a stable source for ammonia and formaldehyde, which can form other important biological molecules.
The Hayabusa2 mission successfully returned asteroid samples from Ryugu, a carbonaceous asteroid believed to contain organic materials. The return marks the second successful sample-return mission in history, offering insights into the origin of life and potential resource utilization for space exploration.
Researchers have found a new network of routes that can transport spacecraft and comets at unprecedented speeds, reaching Jupiter's distance in under a decade. The 'celestial autobahn' or 'celestial highway' acts on several decades, allowing for faster exploration and monitoring of near-Earth objects.
Researchers from Hokkaido University and the USA confirm the presence of hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) in three carbon-rich meteorites, supporting models that propose HMT as a key molecule in organic compound formation. The discovery validates theories on extraterrestrial origin of life and provides new insights into prebiotic chemistry.
Researchers at the University of Rochester used magnetism to determine when carbonaceous chondrite asteroids arrived in the inner solar system. This discovery provides insights into the evolution of the solar system and the origin of Earth's habitability. The study also offers data for the discovery of new exoplanets.
A new analysis of Peekskill meteorites and others suggests that asteroids formed through violent bombardment and subsequent reassembly. This finding challenges the prevailing idea of a peaceful early solar system. The researchers propose the 'rubble pile hypothesis,' which supports this conclusion.
Astronomers have detected fast-moving carbon monoxide gas flowing away from a young, low-mass star, which may provide insight into how our own solar system evolved. The gas is thought to be produced from icy comets being vaporised in the star's asteroid belt.
A new study from the University of Bath and Natural History Museum found that dinosaurs were not declining in diversity at the time of their extinction. The researchers used statistical modelling to assess dinosaur family trees and found no evidence of decline, contradicting previous studies. If the asteroid impact hadn't occurred, din...
Asteroid Bennu's surface boulders hold secrets to its 1.75 million-year history, which scientists studied through impact crater analysis. The findings provide crucial context for the returned sample, allowing researchers to understand the asteroid's geology and composition.
Researchers studied impact marks on asteroid Bennu to reconstruct its history, revealing it formed hundreds of millions of years ago but wandered into Earth's neighborhood recently. The study provides a new benchmark for understanding asteroids and offers insights into hazardous space debris.
Scientists discovered that surviving algae adapted a unique behavior called mixotrophy, allowing them to thrive in the aftermath of an asteroid impact. This adaptation enabled them to eat other organisms while still utilizing photosynthesis to produce food.
Researchers found that plankton species shifted from relying on sunlight to capturing food and eating it after the asteroid impact, allowing them to survive. This adaptation suggests that the lack of light played a crucial role in killing off some species, but others adapted to thrive.
The Hayabusa2 mission's artificial impact crater on asteroid Ryugu revealed significant boulder movements and seismic shaking, up to 40m from the center. The study provides valuable insights into asteroids' resurfacing processes and can be used as a benchmark for numerical simulations.
The study provides new insights into the asteroid's composition, suggesting it may be a dense, metallic object made of iron and nickel. The findings also indicate that oxidation is occurring on the surface, which could be a result of solar wind interaction.
The OSIRIS-REx mission successfully collected samples from the surface of asteroid Bennu, with the sampling head touching down within three feet of the targeted location. The majority of sample collection occurred within the first 3 seconds, and the spacecraft spent approximately 5 of the 6 seconds of contact collecting surface material.
A study published in Science Advances confirms that the Moon's localized strong magnetic fields are remnants of an ancient core dynamo. The researchers used complex simulations to disprove the asteroid impact theory, showing that the resulting magnetic field is a thousand times weaker than necessary to explain the observations.
Researchers found a new species of sea star that clones itself, allowing it to disperse globally and reach the Caribbean. The discovery was made using DNA barcoding and confirms the larvae's ability to clone themselves is a key factor in its distribution.
The OSIRIS-REx mission has mapped the gravity field of asteroid Bennu, revealing a weaker and less dense core than previously thought. This could put the asteroid's survival at risk in the near future as it may slowly spin itself apart.
The OSIRIS-REx mission has published findings on asteroid Bennu's surface, including widespread carbon-bearing materials, bright carbonate veins, weak boulders, and a heterogeneous mass distribution. These discoveries suggest that asteroids like Bennu may have brought organic molecules to Earth billions of years ago.
SwRI scientists studied the color, reflectivity, age, composition, origin and distribution of materials on asteroid Bennu's surface. The mission discovered carbon-bearing compounds and minerals containing or formed by water, which will help determine the scenarios that best explain Bennu's surface composition.