Title: New findings from asteroid samples shed light on organic compound formation in space
In 2020, the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 visited the asteroid Ryugu and returned samples of the space rock to Earth, providing scientists with valuable insights. The latest findings from these samples suggest that certain organic compounds called PAHs may be able to form in cold areas in space.
PAHs, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are ring-shaped complex organic compounds that contain a good deal of carbon. They are naturally found in nebulas, protoplanetary disks, the interstellar medium, and meteorites. What is surprising is that the recent findings indicate that PAHs can form in cold regions in space, not just in hot regions around stars.
Scientists from the Western Australian Organic & Isotope Geochemistry Centre produced PAHs by burning plants and then compared these molecules with fragments returned to Earth from Ryugu and with those found in the Murchison meteorite. The analysis revealed that smaller PAHs likely formed in cold outer space, while larger ones probably formed in warmer environments, such as near a star or inside a celestial body.
The discovery has significant implications as it suggests that PAHs, with their high carbon content, may be able to form at cold temperatures, potentially fostering conditions for life in frigid regions of space. This finding adds further evidence to the understanding of how planet formation and, eventually, life, may havecome to be.
Ryugu, a C-type asteroid, contains a significant amount of carbon and water. These types of asteroids act as time capsules and can offer clues to how the solar system formed. The new findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the formation of organic compounds in space and their potential role in the development of life.