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Weingarten EA, Zee PC, Jackson CR. Microbial Communities in Saltpan Sediments Show Tolerance to Mars Analog Conditions, but Susceptibility to Chloride and Perchlorate Toxicity. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:838-850. [PMID: 35731161 PMCID: PMC9464085 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Brines at or near the surface of present-day Mars are a potential explanation for seasonally recurring dark streaks on the walls of craters, termed recurring slope lineae (RSL). Deliquescence and freezing point depression are possible drivers of brine stability, attributable to the high salinity observed in martian regolith including chlorides and perchlorates. Investigation of life, which may inhabit RSL, and the cellular mechanisms necessary for survival, must consider the tolerance of highly variable hydration, freeze-thaw cycles, and high osmolarity in addition to the anaerobic, oligotrophic, and irradiated environment. We propose the saltpan, an ephemeral, hypersaline wetland as an analogue for putative RSL hydrology. Saltpan sediment archaeal and bacterial communities showed tolerance of the Mars-analogous atmosphere, hydration, minerology, salinity, and temperature. Although active growth and a shift to well-adapted taxa were observed, susceptibility to low-concentration chloride and perchlorate addition suggested that such a composition was insufficient for beneficial water retention relative to added salt stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A. Weingarten
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
- U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA
| | - Peter C. Zee
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | - Colin R. Jackson
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
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2
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A Remote Sensing Perspective on Mass Wasting in Contrasting Planetary Environments: Cases of the Moon and Ceres. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14041049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Mass wasting, as one of the most significant geomorphological processes, contributes immensely to planetary landscape evolution. The frequency and diversity of mass wasting features on any planetary body also put engineering constraints on its robotic exploration. Mass wasting on other Solar System bodies shares similar, although not identical, morphological characteristics with its terrestrial counterpart, indicating a possible common nature for their formation. Thus, planetary bodies with contrasting environmental conditions might help reveal the effects of the atmosphere, subsurface fluids, mass accumulation/precipitation, and seismicity on mass wasting, and vice versa. Their relative positions within our Solar System and the environmental and geophysical conditions on the Moon and the dwarf planet Ceres are not only extremely different from Earth’s but from each other too. Their smaller sizes coupled with the availability of global-scale remote sensing datasets make them ideal candidates to understand mass wasting processes in widely contrasting planetary environments. Through this concept article, we highlight several recent advances in and prospects of using remote sensing datasets to reveal unprecedented details on lunar and Cerean mass wasting processes. We start with briefly discussing several recent studies on mass wasting using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) data for the Moon and Dawn spacecraft data for Ceres. We further identify the prospects of available remote sensing data in advancing our understanding of mass wasting processes under reduced gravity and in a scant (or absent) atmosphere, and we conclude the article by suggesting future research directions.
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Shi X, Castillo-Rogez J, Hsieh H, Hui H, Ip WH, Lei H, Li JY, Tosi F, Zhou L, Agarwal J, Barucci A, Beck P, Bagatin AC, Capaccioni F, Coates AJ, Cremonese G, Duffard R, Grande M, Jaumann R, Jones GH, Kallio E, Lin Y, Mousis O, Nathues A, Oberst J, Sierks H, Ulamec S, Wang M. GAUSS - genesis of asteroids and evolution of the solar system: A sample return mission to Ceres. EXPERIMENTAL ASTRONOMY 2021; 54:713-744. [PMID: 36915624 PMCID: PMC9998589 DOI: 10.1007/s10686-021-09800-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The goal of Project GAUSS (Genesis of Asteroids and evolUtion of the Solar System) is to return samples from the dwarf planet Ceres. Ceres is the most accessible candidate of ocean worlds and the largest reservoir of water in the inner Solar System. It shows active volcanism and hydrothermal activities in recent history. Recent evidence for the existence of a subsurface ocean on Ceres and the complex geochemistry suggest past habitability and even the potential for ongoing habitability. GAUSS will return samples from Ceres with the aim of answering the following top-level scientific questions: What is the origin of Ceres and what does this imply for the origin of water and other volatiles in the inner Solar System?What are the physical properties and internal structure of Ceres? What do they tell us about the evolutionary and aqueous alteration history of dwarf planets?What are the astrobiological implications of Ceres? Is it still habitable today?What are the mineralogical connections between Ceres and our current collections of carbonaceous meteorites?
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Shi
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Present Address: Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Hejiu Hui
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wing-Huen Ip
- Institute of Astronomy and Space Science, National Central University, Chung Li, Taiwan
| | - Hanlun Lei
- School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Federico Tosi
- Istituto Nazionale di AstroFisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), Rome, Italy
| | - Liyong Zhou
- School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jessica Agarwal
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics, Technical University Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Antonella Barucci
- LESIA-Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, F-92195 Meudon, Principal Cedex, France
| | - Pierre Beck
- CNRS Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Adriano Campo Bagatin
- Universidad de Alicante, Departamento de Física, Ingeniería de Sistemas y Teoría de la Señal, Alicante, Spain
| | - Fabrizio Capaccioni
- Istituto Nazionale di AstroFisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), Rome, Italy
| | - Andrew J. Coates
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Rene Duffard
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Granada, Spain
| | | | - Ralf Jaumann
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Geraint H. Jones
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Surrey, UK
| | - Esa Kallio
- School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, Aalto, Finland
| | - Yangting Lin
- Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Andreas Nathues
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Oberst
- DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Holger Sierks
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Ulamec
- DLR Space Operations and Astronaut Training, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mingyuan Wang
- National Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
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Abstract
Ceres is the largest object in the main belt and it is also the most water-rich body in the inner solar system besides the Earth. The discoveries made by the Dawn Mission revealed that the composition of Ceres includes organic material, with a component of carbon globally present and also a high quantity of localized aliphatic organics in specific areas. The inferred mineralogy of Ceres indicates the long-term activity of a large body of liquid water that produced the alteration minerals discovered on its surface, including ammonia-bearing minerals. To explain the presence of ammonium in the phyllosilicates, Ceres must have accreted organic matter, ammonia, water and carbon present in the protoplanetary formation region. It is conceivable that Ceres may have also processed and transformed its own original organic matter that could have been modified by the pervasive hydrothermal alteration. The coexistence of phyllosilicates, magnetite, carbonates, salts, organics and a high carbon content point to rock–water alteration playing an important role in promoting widespread carbon occurrence.
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Abstract
Astrobiology is focused on the study of life in the universe. However, lifeless planetary environments yield biological information on the variety of ways in which physical and chemical conditions in the universe preclude the possibility of the origin or persistence of life, and in turn this will help explain the distribution and abundance of life, or lack of it, in the universe. Furthermore, many places that humans wish to explore and settle in space are lifeless, and studying the fate of life in these environments will aid our own success in thriving in them. In this synthetic review, I have three objectives, as follows: (1) To discuss the biological value and use of lifeless environments, (2) To explore the diverse planetary bodies and environments that can be lifeless and to categorize them, and (3) To propose sets of biological experiments that can be undertaken in different categories of lifeless worlds and environments and suggest concepts for mission ideas to realize these goals. They include origin of life and microbial inoculation experiments in lifeless but habitable environments. I suggest that the biological study of lifelessness is an underappreciated area in planetary sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Duarte KD, Schmidt BE, Chilton HT, Hughson KHG, Sizemore HG, Ferrier KL, Buffo JJ, Scully JEC, Nathues A, Platz T, Landis M, Byrne S, Bland M, Russell CT, Raymond CA. Landslides on Ceres: Diversity and Geologic Context. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2019; 124:3329-3343. [PMID: 32355585 PMCID: PMC7185231 DOI: 10.1029/2018je005673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Landslides are among the most widespread geologic features on Ceres. Using data from Dawn's Framing Camera, landslides were previously classified based upon geomorphologic characteristics into one of three archetypal categories, Type 1(T1), Type 2 (T2), and Type 3 (T3). Due to their geologic context, variation in age, and physical characteristics, most landslides on Ceres are, however, intermediate in their morphology and physical properties between the archetypes of each landslide class. Here we describe the varied morphology of individual intermediate landslides, identify geologic controls that contribute to this variation, and provide first-order quantification of the physical properties of the continuum of Ceres's surface flows. These intermediate flows appear in varied settings and show a range of characteristics, including those found at contacts between craters, those having multiple trunks or lobes; showing characteristics of both T2 and T3 landslides; material slumping on crater rims; very small, ejecta-like flows; and those appearing inside of catenae. We suggest that while their morphologies can vary, the distribution and mechanical properties of intermediate landslides do not differ significantly from that of archetypal landslides, confirming a link between landslides and subsurface ice. We also find that most intermediate landslides are similar to Type 2 landslides and formed by shallow failure. Clusters of these features suggest ice enhancement near Juling, Kupalo and Urvara craters. Since the majority of Ceres's landslides fall in the intermediate landslide category, placing their attributes in context contributes to a better understanding of Ceres's shallow subsurface and the nature of ground ice.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. D. Duarte
- School of Earth and Atmospheric SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGAUSA
| | - B. E. Schmidt
- School of Earth and Atmospheric SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGAUSA
| | - H. T. Chilton
- School of Earth and Atmospheric SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGAUSA
| | - K. H. G. Hughson
- School of Earth and Atmospheric SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGAUSA
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary PhysicsUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | | | - K. L. Ferrier
- School of Earth and Atmospheric SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGAUSA
| | - J. J. Buffo
- School of Earth and Atmospheric SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGAUSA
| | - J. E. C. Scully
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - A. Nathues
- Max‐Planck Institute for Solar System ResearchKatlenburg‐LindauGermany
| | - T. Platz
- Max‐Planck Institute for Solar System ResearchKatlenburg‐LindauGermany
| | - M. Landis
- Lunar and Planetary LaboratoryUniversity of ArizonaTucsonAZUSA
- USGSFlagstaffAZUSA
| | - S. Byrne
- Lunar and Planetary LaboratoryUniversity of ArizonaTucsonAZUSA
| | - M. Bland
- Now at Boulder Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - C. T. Russell
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary PhysicsUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - C. A. Raymond
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
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7
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Carrozzo FG, De Sanctis MC, Raponi A, Ammannito E, Castillo-Rogez J, Ehlmann BL, Marchi S, Stein N, Ciarniello M, Tosi F, Capaccioni F, Capria MT, Fonte S, Formisano M, Frigeri A, Giardino M, Longobardo A, Magni G, Palomba E, Zambon F, Raymond CA, Russell CT. Nature, formation, and distribution of carbonates on Ceres. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:e1701645. [PMID: 29546235 PMCID: PMC5851657 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Different carbonates have been detected on Ceres, and their abundance and spatial distribution have been mapped using a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIR), the Dawn imaging spectrometer. Carbonates are abundant and ubiquitous across the surface, but variations in the strength and position of infrared spectral absorptions indicate variations in the composition and amount of these minerals. Mg-Ca carbonates are detected all over the surface, but localized areas show Na carbonates, such as natrite (Na2CO3) and hydrated Na carbonates (for example, Na2CO3·H2O). Their geological settings and accessory NH4-bearing phases suggest the upwelling, excavation, and exposure of salts formed from Na-CO3-NH4-Cl brine solutions at multiple locations across the planet. The presence of the hydrated carbonates indicates that their formation/exposure on Ceres' surface is geologically recent and dehydration to the anhydrous form (Na2CO3) is ongoing, implying a still-evolving body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Giacomo Carrozzo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Raponi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Julie Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Bethany L. Ehlmann
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Simone Marchi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
- Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - Nathaniel Stein
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mauro Ciarniello
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Federico Tosi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Capaccioni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Capria
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Sergio Fonte
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Formisano
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Alessandro Frigeri
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Giardino
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Longobardo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Magni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Ernesto Palomba
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Zambon
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Carol A. Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Christopher T. Russell
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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8
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Raponi A, De Sanctis MC, Frigeri A, Ammannito E, Ciarniello M, Formisano M, Combe JP, Magni G, Tosi F, Carrozzo FG, Fonte S, Giardino M, Joy SP, Polanskey CA, Rayman MD, Capaccioni F, Capria MT, Longobardo A, Palomba E, Zambon F, Raymond CA, Russell CT. Variations in the amount of water ice on Ceres' surface suggest a seasonal water cycle. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaao3757. [PMID: 29546238 PMCID: PMC5851659 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aao3757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The dwarf planet Ceres is known to host a considerable amount of water in its interior, and areas of water ice were detected by the Dawn spacecraft on its surface. Moreover, sporadic water and hydroxyl emissions have been observed from space telescopes. We report the detection of water ice in a mid-latitude crater and its unexpected variation with time. The Dawn spectrometer data show a change of water ice signatures over a period of 6 months, which is well modeled as ~2-km2 increase of water ice. The observed increase, coupled with Ceres' orbital parameters, points to an ongoing process that seems correlated with solar flux. The reported variation on Ceres' surface indicates that this body is chemically and physically active at the present time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Raponi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina De Sanctis
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Alessandro Frigeri
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | | | - Mauro Ciarniello
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Formisano
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Jean-Philippe Combe
- Bear Fight Institute, 22 Fiddler’s Road, P.O. Box 667, Winthrop, WA 98862, USA
| | - Gianfranco Magni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Federico Tosi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Filippo Giacomo Carrozzo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Sergio Fonte
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Giardino
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Steven P. Joy
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles E. Young Drive, East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Carol A. Polanskey
- NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Marc D. Rayman
- NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Fabrizio Capaccioni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Capria
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Longobardo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Ernesto Palomba
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Zambon
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAF, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Carol A. Raymond
- NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Christopher T. Russell
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles E. Young Drive, East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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9
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De Sanctis MC, Ammannito E, McSween HY, Raponi A, Marchi S, Capaccioni F, Capria MT, Carrozzo FG, Ciarniello M, Fonte S, Formisano M, Frigeri A, Giardino M, Longobardo A, Magni G, McFadden LA, Palomba E, Pieters CM, Tosi F, Zambon F, Raymond CA, Russell CT. Localized aliphatic organic material on the surface of Ceres. Science 2017; 355:719-722. [PMID: 28209893 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaj2305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Organic compounds occur in some chondritic meteorites, and their signatures on solar system bodies have been sought for decades. Spectral signatures of organics have not been unambiguously identified on the surfaces of asteroids, whereas they have been detected on cometary nuclei. Data returned by the Visible and InfraRed Mapping Spectrometer on board the Dawn spacecraft show a clear detection of an organic absorption feature at 3.4 micrometers on dwarf planet Ceres. This signature is characteristic of aliphatic organic matter and is mainly localized on a broad region of ~1000 square kilometers close to the ~50-kilometer Ernutet crater. The combined presence on Ceres of ammonia-bearing hydrated minerals, water ice, carbonates, salts, and organic material indicates a very complex chemical environment, suggesting favorable environments to prebiotic chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C De Sanctis
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - E Ammannito
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA.,Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - H Y McSween
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1410, USA
| | - A Raponi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.,Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - F Capaccioni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M T Capria
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - F G Carrozzo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M Ciarniello
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - S Fonte
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M Formisano
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - A Frigeri
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M Giardino
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - A Longobardo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - G Magni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - L A McFadden
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - E Palomba
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - C M Pieters
- Brown University, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - F Tosi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - F Zambon
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali-Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - C T Russell
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
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10
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Sizemore HG, Platz T, Schorghofer N, Prettyman TH, De Sanctis MC, Crown DA, Schmedemann N, Neesemann A, Kneissl T, Marchi S, Schenk PM, Bland MT, Schmidt BE, Hughson KHG, Tosi F, Zambon F, Mest SC, Yingst RA, Williams DA, Russell CT, Raymond CA. Pitted terrains on (1) Ceres and implications for shallow subsurface volatile distribution. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 2017; 44:6570-6578. [PMID: 28989206 PMCID: PMC5606497 DOI: 10.1002/2017gl073970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Prior to the arrival of the Dawn spacecraft at Ceres, the dwarf planet was anticipated to be ice-rich. Searches for morphological features related to ice have been ongoing during Dawn's mission at Ceres. Here we report the identification of pitted terrains associated with fresh Cerean impact craters. The Cerean pitted terrains exhibit strong morphological similarities to pitted materials previously identified on Mars (where ice is implicated in pit development) and Vesta (where the presence of ice is debated). We employ numerical models to investigate the formation of pitted materials on Ceres and discuss the relative importance of water ice and other volatiles in pit development there. We conclude that water ice likely plays an important role in pit development on Ceres. Similar pitted terrains may be common in the asteroid belt and may be of interest to future missions motivated by both astrobiology and in situ resource utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - T. Platz
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System ResearchGöttingenGermany
| | | | | | | | | | - N. Schmedemann
- Department of Earth SciencesFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - A. Neesemann
- Department of Earth SciencesFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - T. Kneissl
- Department of Earth SciencesFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - S. Marchi
- Southwest Research InstituteBoulderColoradoUSA
| | | | - M. T. Bland
- USGS Astrogeology Science CenterFlagstaffArizonaUSA
| | - B. E. Schmidt
- Department of Planetary and Space PhysicsGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - K. H. G. Hughson
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space SciencesUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - F. Tosi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAFRomeItaly
| | - F. Zambon
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, INAFRomeItaly
| | - S. C. Mest
- Planetary Science InstituteTucsonArizonaUSA
| | | | - D. A. Williams
- School of Earth and Space SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
| | - C. T. Russell
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space SciencesUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - C. A. Raymond
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCaliforniaUSA
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11
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Russell CT, Raymond CA, Ammannito E, Buczkowski DL, De Sanctis MC, Hiesinger H, Jaumann R, Konopliv AS, McSween HY, Nathues A, Park RS, Pieters CM, Prettyman TH, McCord TB, McFadden LA, Mottola S, Zuber MT, Joy SP, Polanskey C, Rayman MD, Castillo-Rogez JC, Chi PJ, Combe JP, Ermakov A, Fu RR, Hoffmann M, Jia YD, King SD, Lawrence DJ, Li JY, Marchi S, Preusker F, Roatsch T, Ruesch O, Schenk P, Villarreal MN, Yamashita N. Dawn arrives at Ceres: Exploration of a small, volatile-rich world. Science 2017; 353:1008-1010. [PMID: 27701107 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf4219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
On 6 March 2015, Dawn arrived at Ceres to find a dark, desiccated surface punctuated by small, bright areas. Parts of Ceres' surface are heavily cratered, but the largest expected craters are absent. Ceres appears gravitationally relaxed at only the longest wavelengths, implying a mechanically strong lithosphere with a weaker deep interior. Ceres' dry exterior displays hydroxylated silicates, including ammoniated clays of endogenous origin. The possibility of abundant volatiles at depth is supported by geomorphologic features such as flat crater floors with pits, lobate flows of materials, and a singular mountain that appears to be an extrusive cryovolcanic dome. On one occasion, Ceres temporarily interacted with the solar wind, producing a bow shock accelerating electrons to energies of tens of kilovolts.
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Affiliation(s)
- C T Russell
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA.
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - E Ammannito
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - D L Buczkowski
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723-6099, USA
| | - M C De Sanctis
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - H Hiesinger
- Institut für Planetologie, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - R Jaumann
- Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt, Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - A S Konopliv
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - H Y McSween
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1410, USA
| | - A Nathues
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - R S Park
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - C M Pieters
- Brown University, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | | | - T B McCord
- The Bear Fight Institute, Winthrop, WA 98862, USA
| | - L A McFadden
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - S Mottola
- Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt, Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - M T Zuber
- Massachussetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - S P Joy
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - C Polanskey
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - M D Rayman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - J C Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - P J Chi
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - J P Combe
- The Bear Fight Institute, Winthrop, WA 98862, USA
| | - A Ermakov
- Massachussetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - R R Fu
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10968, USA
| | - M Hoffmann
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Y D Jia
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - S D King
- Virginia Tech, Geosciences, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - D J Lawrence
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723-6099, USA
| | - J-Y Li
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - F Preusker
- Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt, Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - T Roatsch
- Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt, Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - O Ruesch
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - P Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - M N Villarreal
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - N Yamashita
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
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12
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Abstract
The Dawn spacecraft finds evidence for organic material and water ice on Ceres
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Küppers
- European Space Astronomy Center, European Space Agency, Camino bajo del Castillo S/N, Madrid, Spain
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13
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Prettyman TH, Yamashita N, Toplis MJ, McSween HY, Schörghofer N, Marchi S, Feldman WC, Castillo-Rogez J, Forni O, Lawrence DJ, Ammannito E, Ehlmann BL, Sizemore HG, Joy SP, Polanskey CA, Rayman MD, Raymond CA, Russell CT. Extensive water ice within Ceres' aqueously altered regolith: Evidence from nuclear spectroscopy. Science 2016; 355:55-59. [PMID: 27980087 DOI: 10.1126/science.aah6765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The surface elemental composition of dwarf planet Ceres constrains its regolith ice content, aqueous alteration processes, and interior evolution. Using nuclear spectroscopy data acquired by NASA's Dawn mission, we determined the concentrations of elemental hydrogen, iron, and potassium on Ceres. The data show that surface materials were processed by the action of water within the interior. The non-icy portion of Ceres' carbon-bearing regolith contains similar amounts of hydrogen to those present in aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrites; however, the concentration of iron on Ceres is lower than in the aforementioned chondrites. This allows for the possibility that Ceres experienced modest ice-rock fractionation, resulting in differences between surface and bulk composition. At mid-to-high latitudes, the regolith contains high concentrations of hydrogen, consistent with broad expanses of water ice, confirming theoretical predictions that ice can survive for billions of years just beneath the surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- T H Prettyman
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA.
| | - N Yamashita
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA
| | - M J Toplis
- Institut de Recherche d'Astrophysique et Planétologie, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse 31400, France
| | - H Y McSween
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1410, USA
| | - N Schörghofer
- University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - W C Feldman
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA
| | - J Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - O Forni
- Institut de Recherche d'Astrophysique et Planétologie, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse 31400, France
| | - D J Lawrence
- Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - E Ammannito
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - B L Ehlmann
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA.,Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - H G Sizemore
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719-2395, USA
| | - S P Joy
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - C A Polanskey
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - M D Rayman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - C T Russell
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
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