In 2020, the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 visited the asteroid Ryugu and successfully brought back samples of valuable space rocks to Earth. And sure enough, many years later, thanks to these samples, we still have insight into this tiny asteroid and the environment in which it formed. Today, scientists announced the latest discoveries from Ryugu. The idea is that certain organic compounds called PAHs can form in colder regions of the planet. space.
These results may help us better understand how planets form and, ultimately, life arose.
PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are cyclic, complex organic compounds.Contains a considerable amount of carbon macrocosm These PAHs contain. You can also see PAH earthThis typically forms when organic matter does not burn completely (think campfire leftovers or charcoal left on a barbecue grill). PAHs exist naturally across the universe. nebulaprotoplanetary disk, interstellar medium and meteorite.
Related: Asteroid Ryugu was born in a cold region in the early days of the solar system.
of new discovery This is surprising because it shows that PAHs can form not only in the surrounding hot regions, but also in the cold regions of space. Performer. Scientists at the Western Australian Organic Isotope Geochemistry Center produced PAHs by burning plants. They then compared these molecules to debris brought back to Earth from Ryugu and to debris found on Ryugu. martinson meteorite It crashed in southern Australia in 1969.
“The bonds between light and heavy carbon isotopes of PAHs were analyzed to reveal the temperatures at which they form,” one of the authors, Kliti Grice, said in the paper. statement. “Selected PAHs from Ryugu and Murchison were found to have different characteristics, with smaller ones probably forming in cold outer space and larger ones probably forming in warmer regions such as near stars or inside celestial bodies. It is thought to have been formed in the environment.”
Depending on the carbon content, PAHs are some of the components of life.this is further evidence It is thought that PAHs can form even at low temperatures, and therefore life can grow in such frigid conditions.
Ryugu is a C-type asteroid and contains large amounts of carbon and water.these kinds of asteroid Acts as a time capsule and how solar system formed.