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The first detection of water absorption on a D type asteroid
Author(s) -
Kanno Ai,
Hiroi Takahiro,
Nakamura Ryosuke,
Abe Masanao,
Ishiguro Masateru,
Hasegawa Sunao,
Miyasaka Seidai,
Sekiguchi Tomohiko,
Terada Hiroshi,
Igarashi George
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2003gl017907
Subject(s) - asteroid , solar system , astrobiology , wavelength , spectral line , water ice , type (biology) , absorption (acoustics) , asteroid belt , absorption band , physics , geology , astronomy , optics , paleontology
The D type asteroids are among the darkest objects known in our solar system. Here, we present infrared spectra of one of the main‐belt D type asteroids, 773 Irmintraud. In contrast to previous observations of D type asteroids, we found a gap of reflectance around 3 μm in wavelength. The 3 μm gap is one of the spectral signatures of OH or H 2 O as water ice or in hydrous minerals, which had formed in the processes of aqueous alteration in the early solar system. We suggest that D type asteroids, which are all the while considered as unaltered primitive material, could be aqueously altered. Our data do support the presence of water on a compositionally primitive D type asteroid.