| Title: |
Chemical evolution of primordial salts and organic sulfur molecules in the asteroid 162173 Ryugu. |
| Authors: |
Yoshimura, Toshihiro, Takano, Yoshinori, Naraoka, Hiroshi, Koga, Toshiki, Araoka, Daisuke, Ogawa, Nanako O., Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe, Hertkorn, Norbert, Oba, Yasuhiro, Dworkin, Jason P., Aponte, José C., Yoshikawa, Takaaki, Tanaka, Satoru, Ohkouchi, Naohiko, Hashiguchi, Minako, McLain, Hannah, Parker, Eric T., Sakai, Saburo, Yamaguchi, Mihoko, Suzuki, Takahiro |
| Source: |
Nature Communications; 9/18/2023, Vol. 14 Issue 1, p1-11, 11p |
| Subject Terms: |
ASTEROIDS, SULFUR, SALTS, SOLAR system, MOLECULAR evolution, ORGANIC compounds |
| Abstract: |
Samples from the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu provide information on the chemical evolution of organic molecules in the early solar system. Here we show the element partitioning of the major component ions by sequential extractions of salts, carbonates, and phyllosilicate-bearing fractions to reveal primordial brine composition of the primitive asteroid. Sodium is the dominant electrolyte of the salt fraction extract. Anions and NH4+ are more abundant in the salt fraction than in the carbonate and phyllosilicate fractions, with molar concentrations in the order SO42− > Cl− > S2O32− > NO3− > NH4+. The salt fraction extracts contain anionic soluble sulfur-bearing species such as Sn-polythionic acids (n < 6), Cn-alkylsulfonates, alkylthiosulfonates, hydroxyalkylsulfonates, and hydroxyalkylthiosulfonates (n < 7). The sulfur-bearing soluble compounds may have driven the molecular evolution of prebiotic organic material transforming simple organic molecules into hydrophilic, amphiphilic, and refractory S allotropes. The asteroid Ryugu samples are by far the freshest extraterrestrial carbonaceous material. The authors report soluble ions and organic sulfur molecules linked with primordial brine and prebiotic organic evolution of the primitive asteroid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: |
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