Parent bodies of C-type asteroids may have brought key volatile and organic-rich compounds to the terrestrial planets in the early stages of the Solar System . At the end of 2020, the JAXA Hayabusa2 mission successfully returned samples from Ryugu, providing access to a primitive matter that has not suffered terrestrial alteration. Here we report the discovery of a peculiar class of grains, up to a few hundreds of micrometres in size, that have a hydrated ammonium–magnesium–phosphorus (HAMP)-rich composition. Their specific chemical and physical properties point towards an origin in the outer Solar System , beyond most snow lines, and their preservation along Ryugu history. These phosphorus-rich grains, embedded within an organic-rich phyllosilicate matrix, may have played a major role when immersed in primitive terrestrial water reservoirs. In particular, in contrast to poorly soluble calcium-rich phosphates, HAMP grains favour the release of phosphorus-rich and nitrogen-rich ionic s...
Comments
Post a Comment