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

8 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.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.",

year = "2024",

month = feb,

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doi = "10.3847/PSJ/ad18b8",

language = "English (US)",

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TY - JOUR

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.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85187265259

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85187265259#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.3847/PSJ/ad18b8

DO - 10.3847/PSJ/ad18b8

M3 - Article

SN - 2632-3338

VL - 5

JO - Planetary Science Journal

JF - Planetary Science Journal

IS - 2

M1 - 37

ER -

Detection of Molecular H₂O on Nominally Anhydrous Asteroids

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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