Dwarf planet Ceres has rare organic material delivered by asteroids

Dwarf planet Ceres has rare organic material delivered by asteroids
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jan 29, 2025

Organic molecules, critical components for life, have been identified on Ceres, the dwarf planet located within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. These molecules, formed from carbon, hydrogen, and other elements, are essential to life as we know it. Similar compounds have previously been discovered on distant Solar System bodies, such as comets and trans-Neptunian objects. These findings suggest that the building blocks of life may have been inherent in Solar System remnants from its early formation, potentially migrating to the inner Solar System over time.

Ceres, situated in a transitional zone between inner and outer Solar System regions, has been the focus of studies aimed at understanding the origins of its organic materials. Scientists are investigating whether these compounds formed locally within the asteroid belt or were delivered from more distant regions.

Discovering organic material remotely

Evidence of organic material on Ceres first emerged during NASA's Dawn mission, which studied the dwarf planet from 2015 to 2018. The spacecraft's camera and spectrometer scanned the surface, revealing areas where reflected light showed characteristics indicative of organic compounds. Specifically, the brightness increased with wavelength, a potential signature of organics. While the data confirmed the presence of chain-like organic molecules called aliphatic hydrocarbons, the resolution was insufficient to identify specific molecular types.

The new study, led by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS), applied artificial intelligence to analyze Ceres' surface for traces of these molecules. "Sites of such organic molecules are actually rare on Ceres, and devoid of any cryovolcanic signatures," explained Ranjan Sarkar from MPS, the study's first author. The majority of these deposits were found around the large Ernutet crater in Ceres' northern hemisphere, with only a few located farther away. Two of these sites were previously unknown. Detailed examination of the deposits revealed no evidence of cryovolcanic activity or other geological features like trenches, canyons, or vents.

Impacts as a delivery mechanism

Despite Ceres' cryovolcanic history, with subsurface briny water occasionally seeping to the surface, researchers found no link between cryovolcanism and the detected organic materials. According to Andreas Nathues, head of the Dawn mission's camera team at MPS, "The first assumption is that Ceres' unique cryovolcanism has transported the organic material from the interior of the body to the surface. But our results show otherwise." The lack of organic matter at sites of cryovolcanic activity and the absence of surface disruption at the organic-rich locations suggest a different origin.

The researchers propose that asteroid impacts delivered the organic materials. Simulations indicate that slow-moving bodies from the outer asteroid belt, which frequently collide with Ceres, generate minimal heat upon impact, preserving the organic compounds. "Unfortunately, Dawn can't detect all types of organic compounds," Nathues noted. He also emphasized that organic molecules may still exist in Ceres' underground ocean, potentially reaching the surface through processes not yet observed. A lander mission would be necessary to confirm whether organics from Ceres' interior are present on its surface.

NASA's Dawn mission provided close-up studies of Vesta and Ceres, two key bodies in the asteroid belt. The Dawn Framing Cameras, developed and operated by MPS, played a crucial role in these investigations, alongside the VIR spectrometer, which was provided by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).

Research Report:Ceres: Organic-Rich Sites of Exogenic Origin?