Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Kyushu University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Nagoya University, Kyoto University,
Hiroshima University, Tohoku University, Hokkaido University, The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Science

Summary of Presentation

The soluble organic molecules contained in the sample of the asteroid Ryuguu brought back by Hayabusa2 were analyzed mainly by solvent extraction. Ryuguu is a dark primitive asteroid belonging to the C-type asteroids, which are the most common in the asteroid belt, and is rich in hydrous minerals such as carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. Primitive carbonaceous chondrites are known to contain a variety of soluble organic molecules, including amino acids, and may have supplied preliving organic molecules that led to the birth of life to the early Earth and other celestial bodies. In this study, organic molecules contained in Ryuguu surface samples obtained from the first touchdown sampling were analyzed by research teams from Japan, the U.S., and Europe. As a result, various organic molecules such as amino acids, amines, carboxylic acids, aromatic hydrocarbons, and nitrogen-containing cyclic compounds were detected (Figure). These organic molecules may be released from Ryuguu's surface and transported to other celestial bodies, or they may be used as organic resources.

© JAXA, University of Tokyo, Kochi University, Rikkyo University, Nagoya University, Chiba Institute of Technology, Meiji University, University of Aizu, AIST, University of Tokyo, Kochi University, Rikkyo University, University of Tokyo, University of Tokyo University of Aizu, AIST, NASA, Dan Gallagher.
Figure: Conceptual diagram of organic molecules found in surface samples from the asteroid Ryuguu.

The following members from The University of Tokyo participated in this research project.

Shogo Tachibana	Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, UTokyo Organization for Planetary and Space Science
Seiji Sugita	Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Science
Tomokatsu Morota	Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Science
Shizumoe Furuya	Project Specialist, UTokyo Organization for Planetary and Space Science

For more information, please visit the website of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA ).

Journals

Journal name	Science
Title of paper	Soluble organic molecules in samples of the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu
DOI number	10.1126/science.abn9033