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> "The diversity of soluble organic molecules detected in the Ryugu samples is comparable to the diversity of organic molecules found in carbonaceous meteorites
by apienx 4y ago
> "The diversity of soluble organic molecules detected in the Ryugu samples is comparable to the diversity of organic molecules found in carbonaceous meteorites. However, the molecular distribution of low-molecular-weight organic compounds is relatively low, similar to the distribution of organic matter in carbonaceous meteorites that have been strongly affected by aqueous alteration. This is also consistent with mineralogical characteristics revealed by the initial analysis teams."
So there's a class of meteorites, carbonaceous chondrites that have up to 3% of organic matter. 5% of all meteorites belong to this class. The Hayabusa2 samples have the same level of organic matter.
Cool. A new rock. But the cooler part is that these rocks were likely exposed to water.
- sandworm101 4y ago>> But the cooler part is that these rocks were likely exposed to water. Water is everywhere in space. Only amongst the inner planets is it baked away by the heat of the sun. Out past Jupiter, most every rock seems to have substantial water content. Most of that is ice, but any source of heat turns that into water for a time. Two asteroids colliding would produce some liquid water in their interiors, long enough for some organic chemistry to happen.
- _a_a_a_ 4y agoUmm, I don't know but would guess water-ice sublimes over time in a vacuum.
- idlewords 4y agoThe rings of Saturn are almost entirely little chunks of water ice, and they are stable over many hundreds of millions of years. Cold ice (below about 150K) has a very low vapor pressure.
- sandworm101 4y agoSublimates in one place, condenses in another. It moves from sunny parts of a body to darker parts. And since everything is rotating, the net effect is minimal.
- Nomentatus 4y agoFor that to happen, it can't be gravity that keeps a single molecule near long enough for that to happen - dipole forces at a fairly large distance in vacuum over enough time... maybe... at enough distance from the sun. Maybe. Maybe. Static electrical field from the asteroid, stoked by the sun?