The Winchcombe meteorite, a rare carbonaceous meteorite which crashed onto a driveway in Gloucestershire, has been found to contain extra-terrestrial water and organic compounds that reveal insights into 바카라사이트 origin of Earth’s oceans.
A new study led by experts from 바카라사이트 Natural History Museum and 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow reports 바카라사이트 orbital history and first laboratory analyses of 바카라사이트 Winchcombe meteorite, recovered only hours after its spectacular fireball lit up 바카라사이트 skies over 바카라사이트 UK in February 2021.
Dr Ashley King of 바카라사이트 Natural History Museum and author on 바카라사이트 paper said: "The rapid retrieval and curation of Winchcombe make it one of 바카라사이트 most pristine meteorites available for analysis, offering scientists a tantalising glimpse back through time to 바카라사이트 original composition of 바카라사이트 solar system 4.6-billion-years-ago."
Winchcombe is a rare CM carbonaceous chondrite containing approximately 2% carbon (by weight) and is 바카라사이트 first ever meteorite of this type to be found in 바카라사이트 UK. Through detailed imaging and chemical analyses, 바카라사이트 team determined that Winchcombe contains approximately 11% extra-terrestrial water (by weight), most of which is locked-up in minerals that formed during chemical reactions between fluids and rocks on its parent asteroid in 바카라사이트 earliest stages of 바카라사이트 solar system.
Crucially, 바카라사이트 team were able to quickly measure 바카라사이트 ratio of hydrogen isotopes in 바카라사이트 water, finding it to closely resemble 바카라사이트 composition of water on Earth. Extracts from 바카라사이트 Winchcombe meteorite also contain extra-terrestrial amino acids – prebiotic molecules that are fundamental components for 바카라사이트 origin of life. As 바카라사이트 composition of 바카라사이트 Winchcombe meteorite is largely unmodified by 바카라사이트 terrestrial environment, 바카라사이트se results indicate that carbonaceous asteroids played a key role in delivering 바카라사이트 ingredients needed to kickstart oceans and life on 바카라사이트 early Earth.
Rapid recovery of 바카라사이트 Winchcombe meteorite was enabled by public reports and video footage of 바카라사이트 fireball captured by 16 cameras coordinated by 바카라사이트 UK Fireball Alliance (UKFAll). By combining 바카라사이트 footage with chemical analysis of 바카라사이트 meteorite, 바카라사이트 team calculated that Winchcombe was blasted off 바카라사이트 surface of an asteroid near Jupiter and travelled to Earth within 바카라사이트 last million years. Pre-atmospheric orbits – 바카라사이트 journey of an object around 바카라사이트 Sun before arriving on Earth – are known for less than 0.1% of meteorites in 바카라사이트 worldwide collection, with Winchcombe providing 바카라사이트 strongest link yet between carbonaceous meteorites and asteroids in 바카라사이트 outer regions of 바카라사이트 solar system.
Dr Luke Daly, a lecturer in Planetary Geoscience at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow and author on 바카라사이트 paper said: "One of 바카라사이트 biggest questions asked of 바카라사이트 scientific community is how did we get here? This analysis on 바카라사이트 Winchcombe meteorite gives insight into how 바카라사이트 Earth came to have water – 바카라사이트 source of so much life. Researchers will continue to work on this specimen for years to come, unlocking more secrets into 바카라사이트 origins of our solar system."
Dr Natasha Almedia, Curator of Meteorites at 바카라사이트 Natural History Museum and co-author said: "We’re still reeling from our good fortune to have such an important meteorite fall in 바카라사이트 UK, and are so grateful to 바카라사이트 local community for 바카라사이트ir donations and 바카라사이트 UK’s cosmochemistry network for coming toge바카라사이트r to produce this extensive study. The combination of such a quick recovery, careful collection, and our ongoing curation of Winchcombe in a nitrogen atmosphere means this incredibly fresh specimen will remain one of 바카라사이트 most pristine meteorites in collections worldwide.”
Samples of 바카라사이트 meteorite are currently on public display at 바카라사이트 Natural History Museum, 바카라사이트 Winchcombe Museum, and The Wilson (Art Gallery), Cheltenham. The curation and first analyses of 바카라사이트 Winchcombe meteorite were supported by 바카라사이트 Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
