Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt between the planets Mars and Jupiter. In a new study, scientists suggest this dwarf planet contains a large body of salt water beneath its cold surface.
The researchers describe Ceres as an ‘ocean world’ – a place that could have the right conditions to support living organisms.
The study was released in publications earlier this month Natural Astronomy, Nature Geoscience en Nature communication.
The study is based on data collected by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, which in 2018 flew as close as 35 kilometers to the surface of Ceres. The study provides evidence that the dwarf planet remains geological active with cryovolcanism – volcanoes that produce icy material.
The scientists say that their findings suggest the presence of a reservoir of salt water below the surface which is gradually liberated. Dawn planetary scientist and leading researcher Carol Raymond told the Reuters news agency that it was this discovery that made Ceres an ocean world, although liquid does not cover the entire dwarf planet.
“In the case of Ceres, we know it’s a liquid reservoir regional scale but we can not say for sure that it is so global. However, what is most important is that there is a large-scale liquid, “said Raymond.
Ceres lies about 950 miles round. The scientists centered their work on a 92-kilometer-wide crater formed when a large object struck Ceres about 22 million years ago. The crater has two bright areas caused by salt collections from liquid that reach the surface.
The scientists say that the liquid started hundreds of kilometers wide about 40 kilometers below the surface in a salt water reservoir. When the large object in Ceres collided, openings in the surface of the dwarf planet caused openings for salt water to escape.
There are several other bodies of solar system outside the Earth where at least oceans appear to be below the surface. These include the moon Europe of Jupiter, the moon of Saturn Enceladus, the moon Tepton of Neptune and the dwarf planet Pluto.
Water is considered an important necessity for life. Scientists want to investigate whether Ceres was ever at home microbial life.
Planetary scientist Julie Castillo of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said there was great interest at this point in exploring the possibility of life in Cerer’s reservoir. That’s especially true “considering it’s cold and chilly free rich in salt, ”she added.
I’m Pete Musto.
Will Dunham report on this story to the Reuters news service. Pete Musto does it for VOA Learn English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.
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Be in this story
asteroid belt – n. an assembly of one of thousands of small planets crawling around the sun
dwarf planet – n. an object in space that resembles a small planet but lacks certain technical qualities needed to be classified as such
geological – adv. in a way that relates to rocks, land, or processes of land formation
reservoir – n. a place where a liquid is stored
regionally – adj. a part of a country or world that is in some way different or separate from other parts
scale – n. the size or the level of something especially compared to something else
global – adj. involved with the whole world
crater – n. a large round hole made in the ground by the explosion of a bomb or by something falling from the sky
microbial – adj. an extremely small living thing that can only be seen with a microscope
free – adv. to a very noticeable degree or extent
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