Detection of Molecular H2O on Nominally Anhydrous Asteroids

Anicia Arredondo; Margaret M. McAdam; Casey I. Honniball; Tracy M. Becker; Joshua P. Emery; Andrew S. Rivkin; Driss Takir; Cristina A. Thomas

doi:10.3847/PSJ/ad18b8

Detection of Molecular H₂O on Nominally Anhydrous Asteroids

Anicia Arredondo, Margaret M. McAdam, Casey I. Honniball, Tracy M. Becker, Joshua P. Emery, Andrew S. Rivkin, Driss Takir, Cristina A. Thomas

Astronomy and Planetary Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

We used the FORCAST instrument on SOFIA to obtain mid-infrared spectra (4.9-13.7 μm) of four S-type asteroids: (7) Iris, (11) Parthenope, (18) Melpomene, and (20) Massalia. Three of these four silicate-rich asteroids (Iris, Melpomene, and Massalia) were observed to have 3 μm features indicative of hydration by McAdam et al. We report a detection of a 6 μm feature that is unambiguously attributed to molecular water on two asteroids, Iris and Massalia, with peak heights of 4.532% ± 0.011% and 4.476% ± 0.012%, respectively. We estimate the abundance of molecular water based on these peak heights to be 454 ± 202 μg g⁻¹ and 448 ± 209 μg g⁻¹, consistent with values found on the sunlit Moon by SOFIA+FORCAST.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	37
Journal	Planetary Science Journal
Volume	5
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad18b8
State	Published - Feb 1 2024

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Geophysics
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
Space and Planetary Science

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title = "Detection of Molecular H2O on Nominally Anhydrous Asteroids",

abstract = "We used the FORCAST instrument on SOFIA to obtain mid-infrared spectra (4.9-13.7 μm) of four S-type asteroids: (7) Iris, (11) Parthenope, (18) Melpomene, and (20) Massalia. Three of these four silicate-rich asteroids (Iris, Melpomene, and Massalia) were observed to have 3 μm features indicative of hydration by McAdam et al. We report a detection of a 6 μm feature that is unambiguously attributed to molecular water on two asteroids, Iris and Massalia, with peak heights of 4.532% ± 0.011% and 4.476% ± 0.012%, respectively. We estimate the abundance of molecular water based on these peak heights to be 454 ± 202 μg g−1 and 448 ± 209 μg g−1, consistent with values found on the sunlit Moon by SOFIA+FORCAST.",

author = "Anicia Arredondo and McAdam, {Margaret M.} and Honniball, {Casey I.} and Becker, {Tracy M.} and Emery, {Joshua P.} and Rivkin, {Andrew S.} and Driss Takir and Thomas, {Cristina A.}",

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doi = "10.3847/PSJ/ad18b8",

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T1 - Detection of Molecular H2O on Nominally Anhydrous Asteroids

AU - Arredondo, Anicia

AU - McAdam, Margaret M.

AU - Honniball, Casey I.

AU - Becker, Tracy M.

AU - Emery, Joshua P.

AU - Rivkin, Andrew S.

AU - Takir, Driss

AU - Thomas, Cristina A.

PY - 2024/2/1

Y1 - 2024/2/1

N2 - We used the FORCAST instrument on SOFIA to obtain mid-infrared spectra (4.9-13.7 μm) of four S-type asteroids: (7) Iris, (11) Parthenope, (18) Melpomene, and (20) Massalia. Three of these four silicate-rich asteroids (Iris, Melpomene, and Massalia) were observed to have 3 μm features indicative of hydration by McAdam et al. We report a detection of a 6 μm feature that is unambiguously attributed to molecular water on two asteroids, Iris and Massalia, with peak heights of 4.532% ± 0.011% and 4.476% ± 0.012%, respectively. We estimate the abundance of molecular water based on these peak heights to be 454 ± 202 μg g−1 and 448 ± 209 μg g−1, consistent with values found on the sunlit Moon by SOFIA+FORCAST.

AB - We used the FORCAST instrument on SOFIA to obtain mid-infrared spectra (4.9-13.7 μm) of four S-type asteroids: (7) Iris, (11) Parthenope, (18) Melpomene, and (20) Massalia. Three of these four silicate-rich asteroids (Iris, Melpomene, and Massalia) were observed to have 3 μm features indicative of hydration by McAdam et al. We report a detection of a 6 μm feature that is unambiguously attributed to molecular water on two asteroids, Iris and Massalia, with peak heights of 4.532% ± 0.011% and 4.476% ± 0.012%, respectively. We estimate the abundance of molecular water based on these peak heights to be 454 ± 202 μg g−1 and 448 ± 209 μg g−1, consistent with values found on the sunlit Moon by SOFIA+FORCAST.

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JO - Planetary Science Journal

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ER -

Detection of Molecular H₂O on Nominally Anhydrous Asteroids

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