Asteroid rocks begin to reveal our solar system’s origins

Curtin College researchers are amongst a world crew of scientists who’re discovering how our solar system got here to be, by uncovering the secrets and techniques hidden inside a 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid.

In September final yr, after a seven-year journey NASA’s billion-dollar OSIRIS-REx mission efficiently returned samples from the asteroid Bennu, with specimens despatched to analysis laboratories internationally together with Curtin.

A brand new examine published in Meteoritics and Planetary Science reveals the primary findings from the samples—and there have been some surprises for the crew.

The samples consisted of largely darkish particles starting from dust-sized to roughly 3.5 cm lengthy, nevertheless there are some lighter particles scattered all through, some with stones additionally having brighter materials forming veins and crusts.

OSIRIS-REx Pattern Evaluation Staff member Affiliate Professor Nick Timms from Curtin’s College of Earth and Planetary Sciences stated in contrast to meteorites which have fallen to Earth, the fabric collected from Bennu have been saved in pristine situation and have not been contaminated by Earth’s environment or biosphere.

“Analyses present Bennu is among the many most chemically primitive supplies recognized, related in composition to the seen floor of the sun,” Affiliate Professor Timms stated.

“This means Bennu has undergone completely different processes to the planets, and these processes modified the abundance of specific components relative to the sun.”

Evaluation of the samples confirmed the presence of assorted parts beforehand regarded as current, equivalent to hydrated phyllosilicates (a kind of mineral which types within the presence of water) and carbon-rich materials.

“This implies asteroids equivalent to this will likely have performed a key position in delivering water and the constructing blocks of life to Earth,” Affiliate Professor Timms stated.

The samples additionally contained a number of surprising parts.

“We had been stunned to seek out magnesium-sodium phosphates, which additional suggests Bennu skilled chemical environments which presumably concerned water, Affiliate Professor Timms stated.

“We additionally discovered different hint minerals, which supply clues as to the processes which have occurred on Bennu over billions of years, equivalent to temperature and stress situations.

“These hint minerals assist paint an image of Bennu’s evolution and likewise supply insights into the early solar system and the way the completely different planetary our bodies within the solar system had been created.”

Affiliate Professor Timms stated there will probably be many extra discoveries constructed from the Bennu samples, which can have a variety of implications for understanding the early solar system.

“The pattern has presolar grains created earlier than our solar system existed, which might present an in depth biography of the lives of historic stars,” Affiliate Professor Timms stated.

“There are additionally very sensible implications to understanding the composition of asteroids, from figuring out potential mining alternatives to figuring out find out how to greatest shield ourselves ought to an asteroid be on a collision course with Earth.”