New evidence of organic matter identified on Ceres, a water-rich dwarf planet

A study led by the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC), in Spain, has identified new evidence of organic matter in Ceresthe object in the inner Solar System with the most water after Earth.

According to the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, an innovative approach that combines high spatial and spectral resolution has allowed it to analyze the distribution of organic compounds on Ceres with an unprecedented level of detail.

The study, the researchers add, paves the way to return to Ceres in the not too distant future with the aim of clarifying the nature of the material found and analyzing its possible astrobiological implications.

Six years ago, NASA’s Dawn mission last contacted Earth, ending its exploration of Ceres and Vesta, the two most massive bodies in the asteroid belt.

Since then, Ceres, a dwarf planet rich in water and with signs of geological activity, has been the center of intense debates about its origin and evolution.

Now, this study has used an innovative approach, using Dawn data, to identify eleven new regions that suggest the existence of a reservoir of organic materials in the interior of the dwarf planet.

The results of the work, published in the Planetary Science Journal, provide relevant information about the possible nature of this object.

In 2017, the Dawn probe detected organic compounds near the Ernutet crater, located in the northern hemisphere of Ceres, sparking a series of speculations about their origin.

One of the most discussed proposes that These could be exogenous materials, brought by the relatively recent impact of comets or asteroids rich in organic compounds..

But this research focuses on a second possibility: that the material was formed inside Ceres and is stored in a reservoir protected from solar radiation.

“The importance of this discovery lies in the fact that, if these are endogenous materials, it would confirm the existence of internal energy sources that could favor biological processes”points out Juan Luis Rizos, researcher at the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC).

Potential witness to the dawn of the Solar System

With a diameter of more than 590 miles, Ceres is the largest object in the main asteroid belt. This dwarf planet – which shares characteristics with planets, but does not meet all the criteria to be considered such – is recognized for being the most water-rich body in the inner Solar System after Earth, which places it among the ocean worlds. with possible astrobiological implications.

Furthermore, due to its physical and chemical properties, it is associated with a type of meteorite rich in carbon compounds: carbonaceous chondrites, considered remains of the material that formed the Solar System about 4.6 billion years ago.

According to Juan Luis Rizos (IAA-CSIC), “Ceres will play a key role in future space exploration,” since “the presence of water in the form of ice and, possibly, in an underground liquid state, makes it a very interesting place.” for the search for resources.”