Detection of aliphatic organic compounds in the asteroid Ceres

2017/02/24 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia
• Astrofisika

NASA's Dawn probe has detected aliphatic organic compounds on the surface of the asteroid Ceres. This discovery would reinforce the hypothesis that water and the carbonous compounds necessary to achieve life on Earth came from comets and asteroids.

 

Ceres is the largest object of the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter. During the study of its surface, the researchers detected the absorption in the wavelengths corresponding to certain components of the aliphatic organic matter through infrared visual spectrometry. According to the researchers, in addition, this organic material was formed in the asteroid itself, since if it came from outside, the heat generated by the other asteroid when hitting against Ceres would be eliminated. The research has been published in the journal Science.