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Scientists have discovered hidden organic reservoirs on the dwarf planet Ceres, a discovery that raises expectations about the possibility of alien life in our solar system.
Six years after NASA's Dawn mission wrapped up its exploration of Ceres and Vesta, Ceres remains a fascinating enigma in the asteroid belt.
This dwarf planet, rich in water and with signs of geological activity, arouses scientific curiosity about its origin and evolution.
Recently, a study led by researchers from Institute of Astrophysics of Andalucía (IAA-CSIC) revealed new clues about the hidden chemistry of Ceres.
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Using data from the Dawn mission and advanced analysis techniques, scientists have identified eleven new regions that suggest the presence of an internal reservoir of organic materials.
Published in The Planetary Science Journal, these findings fuel speculation about possible hidden biological processes on Ceres.
Organic compounds in the interior of Ceres
The Dawn probe had already detected organic compounds near the Ernutet crater in 2017, raising questions about their origin.
Some theories suggested that these materials were brought by impacts from asteroids or comets.
However, the new study proposes that the organic compounds may be native to Ceres, formed and preserved in an environment protected from solar radiation.
"If these materials are indeed endogenous, this would confirm the existence of internal energy sources that could sustain biological processes.”, explains Juan Luis Rizos, lead author of the study.
This possibility increases scientific interest in Ceres, which, with a diameter of more than 930 kilometers, is the largest object in the main asteroid belt.
Rich in water and potentially with ice or subsurface liquid, Ceres is among the ocean worlds in the Solar System, making it relevant to astrobiology.
A testimony of the primordial Solar System
Ceres is also associated with meteorites called carbonaceous chondrites, remnants of material that formed the Solar System 4,6 billion years ago.
This connection increases its relevance in the search for clues about the initial conditions of our planetary system.
"Ceres could play a vital role in future space exploration”, highlights Rizos.
"Its water and other resources could make it a strategic base for missions to Mars or other distant destinations."
New techniques, new horizons
The recent study used a novel approach to analyze Ceres' surface and its chemical composition. Initially, the team applied a technique called Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA) to characterize the organic compounds in the Ernutet crater.
Using these data, the researchers expanded their investigation to cover the entire surface of Ceres, using high-resolution images captured by the Dawn mission's Framing Camera 2 (FC2).
This method allowed the identification of eleven new regions with characteristics that indicate the presence of organic compounds.
Most of these areas are located near the equatorial Ernutet region, where organic materials have been most exposed to solar radiation.
This prolonged exposure may explain the weaker signals detected, as radiation degrades organic compounds over time.
Detailed analytics
To complement the FC2 results, the researchers performed a detailed analysis of the candidate regions using the Dawn spacecraft's VIR spectrometer.
Despite its lower spatial resolution, the spectrometer offered greater precision in identifying organic compounds. Combining data from both instruments was essential for the discovery.
Among the regions analyzed, an area between the Urvara and Yalode basins presented the most robust evidence of organic materials.
The compounds are distributed in a geological unit formed by the ejection of material during the impacts that created these basins.
"These impacts were extremely violent, reaching deep layers of the planet.”, explains Rizos. “If the presence of organics is confirmed, it will be difficult to deny that these materials are endogenous."
A hidden organic reservoir
The idea that Ceres has a reservoir of organic materials is reinforced by another study published in the journal Science.
In it, researchers demonstrated that organic compounds degrade more quickly under solar radiation than expected.
Considering the signals detected and the degree of degradation observed, scientists believe that large amounts of organic material must still exist below the surface.
These discoveries open up new possibilities for the exploration of Ceres and other celestial bodies.”If an organic reservoir can exist in a place like Ceres, it is possible that similar conditions exist elsewhere in the Solar System.”, suggests Rizos.
