Scientists discover water molecules on asteroids for the first time

Credit: NASA/Carla Thomas/Southwest Research Institute

In a new discovery, scientists from the Southwest Research Institute have utilized data from the now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) to detect water molecules on the surface of asteroids for the first time.

This significant find was made possible through the analysis of four silicate-rich asteroids using SOFIA’s FORCAST instrument, isolating mid-infrared spectral signatures that indicate the presence of molecular water on two of these space rocks.

Asteroids, often described as the remnants of the planetary formation process, offer valuable insights into the early solar system’s composition and the distribution of materials within the solar nebula.

The discovery, led by Dr. Anicia Arredondo and detailed in The Planetary Science Journal, emphasizes the importance of understanding water distribution on asteroids.

This knowledge not only sheds light on how water—essential for life as we know it—was delivered to Earth but also informs the search for life in other solar systems.

The team focused on the asteroids Iris and Massalia, successfully detecting unmistakable signs of molecular water.

This achievement mirrors the previous success of detecting molecular water on the moon’s sunlit surface, highlighting SOFIA’s capability to identify similar spectral signatures on other celestial bodies.

The detection of water on the moon and now on asteroids underscores the potential for water to be chemically bound in minerals, adsorbed onto silicate surfaces, or trapped in silicate impact glass.

Although the attempts to analyze two other asteroids, Parthenope and Melpomene, were hindered by noisy data, the findings from Iris and Massalia open new avenues for further research.

The team plans to leverage the advanced capabilities of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope for future investigations.

With its precise optics and superior signal-to-noise ratio, the James Webb Space Telescope is expected to provide more detailed insights into the distribution of water on additional asteroids.

These pioneering studies not only enhance our understanding of water’s role in the solar system’s formation and evolution but also guide future explorations in the quest for potential life beyond Earth.

With proposals for examining more targets in upcoming cycles, the research team is poised to expand our knowledge of water’s presence and distribution across the solar system, marking a significant step forward in both planetary science and the search for extraterrestrial life.

The research findings can be found in The Planetary Science Journal.

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