Researchers find water on the surface of two asteroids using data from an aborted NASA mission

The researchers used data from a nasa mission The discovery of water on the surface of two asteroids has already been completed, according to a study by Southwest Research Institute, Thanks for figuring this out Stratospheric Infrared Astronomy ObservatoryA joint project of scientists from the US Space Agency and german space agency In dlr,

Previously, scientists had detected some form of hydrogen on these asteroids, but could not distinguish between water and its closest chemical relative, hydroxyl. Research, led by Anisia Arredondo, focused on four asteroids rich in silicate, a material that contains silicon and oxygen, among other molecules. of these, there was molecular water on the surface of two,

These discoveries reveal how materials were distributed in space and evolved over time., “Asteroids are remnants of the planet formation process, so their composition depends on where in the solar nebula they formed,” he explained. Arredondo In an article by Planetary Science Journal quoted by CBSNews.

The discovery not only sheds light on how water became common on Earth, but may also help scientists understand how this liquid is distributed in other solar systems. like this, This could give clues about where to look for other life forms in space, He commented, “Detecting water molecules on asteroids could help scientists understand how water became common on Earth.” Arredondo,

Additionally, the study compared these revelations with previous findings of surface water moon, where hydrogen molecules were found “trapped in a cubic meter of soil spread over the lunar surface” and “chemically bound to minerals”. ,The abundance of water found on asteroids is consistent with that found on the Moon.”, which suggests that it may be associated with minerals or other materials in both asteroids and our natural satellite.

The research will continue to expand, with plans to study another 30 targets to “increase our understanding of the distribution of water in the solar system,” he said. Arredondo, the team will use it James Webb Space Telescope to investigate some of these targets, which could reveal even more about the mysteries of water in space.

The importance of these discoveries lies not only in the scientific understanding of the distribution of water in our solar system, but also in What impact does this have on the search for life beyond Earth?,