Formation and evolution of carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu: Direct evidence from returned samples

T. Nakamura, M. Matsumoto, K. Amano, Y. Enokido, M. E. Zolensky, T. Mikouchi, H. Genda, M. Y. Zolotov, S. M. Potin, More Authors

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

93 Citations (Scopus)
60 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Samples of the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu were brought to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. We analyzed 17 Ryugu samples measuring 1 to 8 millimeters. Carbon dioxide-bearing water inclusions are present within a pyrrhotite crystal, indicating that Ryugu's parent asteroid formed in the outer Solar System. The samples contain low abundances of materials that formed at high temperatures, such as chondrules and calcium- and aluminum-rich inclusions. The samples are rich in phyllosilicates and carbonates, which formed through aqueous alteration reactions at low temperature, high pH, and water/rock ratios of <1 (by mass). Less altered fragments contain olivine, pyroxene, amorphous silicates, calcite, and phosphide. Numerical simulations, based on the mineralogical and physical properties of the samples, indicate that Ryugu's parent body formed ~2 million years after the beginning of Solar System formation.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbereabn8671
JournalScience (New York, N.Y.)
Volume379
Issue number6634
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

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