Close up of asteroid dust through a microscope, revealing many mysteries

For the first time, scientists observed a particle of dust taken from the asteroid through a microscope, revealing many interesting mysteries about the origin of the Solar System.

13 years ago, the Hayabusa Spacecraft of the Japan Aerospace Research and Development Agency (JAXA) obtained a sample of rock from the asteroid 25143 Itokawa in a scientific mission to discover asteroids. fine.

After many failed attempts to land on this asteroid surface, Hayabusa finally landed and collected 15,000 small dust particles in 2005. Through the long distance, the ship finally returned. Earth in 2010 and scientists are still observing and studying these specimens during the past time.

Images observed through microscopic dust particles taken from Itokawa asteroids.The Japanese Hayabusa spacecraft in 2005 landed on the asteroid to collect samples and returned to Earth in 2010. About 15,000 dust particles were analyzed by scientists around the world. and research.(Photo: ESA).

'These are very precious specimens, they become the central object of many scientific studies around the world. Because of the special origin, astronomers are still investigating it very well to know its properties, as well as the conditions of the environment and the asteroid surface that have created the properties of such dust particles, ' The spokesman of the European Space Agency (ESA) said.

'Because asteroids have no atmosphere, their surfaces are frequently exposed to the solar wind - a flow of charged particles that are fired directly from the Sun into space. These charged particles act on dust particles as they continuously reach the surface of asteroids , 'said ESA scientist Fabrice Cipriani.

The charged particles not only touch but also alter the properties of dust particles and look far away that will affect the structure of asteroids. 'The high porosity or high density of dust will be very different if they are not affected by the solar charge. In our previous simulations of asteroids, scientists often ignore this factor because they think they have negligible impact, ' Cipriani said.

To simulate the asteroid environment in the lab, Cipriani and his team are analyzing dust particles and firing electrons on them, which measures the amount of charge accumulated and distributed among the dust particles. together across the asteroid surface.

The particles are very small, about 40.95 microns, which is the average width of a human hair.'Dust particles have very sharp edges, because they are not weathered or water-causing erosion like dust on Earth. But they have extremely small cracks that can only be seen through a microscope, a result of exposure to charge from the solar wind , "Cipriani said.

Cipriani also shared, while he and his research team are investigating the electrical properties of dust on the Itokawa asteroid, other research groups are learning about the minerals and components of asteroids through dust particles. Looking further, these studies will help us know the origin of the Solar System.