In an article published in The Planetary Science Journal, a team of scientists specializing in astrophysics announced the discovery of traces of water on asteroidsobjects of the
universe that is not so easy to access and understand due to its characteristics.
Using precise data collected by the now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), the researchers focused on silicate-rich asteroidsusing the advanced instrument “FORCAST” to analyze its composition.
This, according to the study published on February 12 in The Planetary Science Journal 'SwRI SCIENTISTS IDENTIFY WATER MOLECULES ON ASTEROIDS FOR THE FIRST TIME', for its Spanish translation 'SwRI SCIENTISTS IDENTIFY WATER MOLECULES IN ASTEROIDS FOR THE FIRST TIME' .
The results were astonishing: 'FORCAST' unequivocally detected the presence of molecular water in the asteroids Iris and Massaliarepresenting the first discovery of water in remains of the planetary formation process in space.
What does it mean?
This discovery raises intriguing questions about the presence of water on asteroids, suggesting that it could be absorbed in silicate surfaces, trapped in silicate impact glass or chemically bonded to minerals.
Information supported in the study named 'Detection of Molecular H2O on Nominally Anhydrous Asteroids', for its translation 'Detection of Molecular H 2 O on nominally anhydrous asteroids', published on iopscience.iop.org.
The relevance of this finding goes beyond mere scientific curiosity. Given the importance of water for life, understanding its distribution in the solar system could offer valuable information about planetary formation and the possibility of life on other celestial bodies.
This discovery not only arouses the fascination of the scientific community, but also opens a window to the cosmic past, offering clues about how water came to Earth and how it could be obtained by humanity in the future.
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