Science Drivers for the Future Exploration of Ceres: From Solar System Evolution to Ocean World Science

Castillo‐Rogez, Julie; Neveu, Marc; Vinogradoff, Vassilissa; Miller, Kelly E.; Sori, Michael M.; Tosi, F.; Schmidt, B. E.; Scully, J. E. C.; Daswani, Mohit Melwani; Hughson, K.; McSween, H. Y.; Sanctis, M. C. De; Quick, L. C.; Ermakov, A.; Thangjam, G.; Otto, Katharina A.; Krohn, Katrin; Schenk, P.; Nathues, A.; Raymond, C. A.

doi:10.3847/psj/ac502b

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 208 publications

(327 reference statements)

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“…The model used in this study combines modules that compute thermal and chemical evolution (Figure D1 ). All the software pieces have been demonstrated in previous studies (e.g., Thermal code with crust compaction module, Castillo‐Rogez et al., 2007 ; GWB: Geochemist's Workbench, Castillo‐Rogez et al., 2018 , 2022 ; FREZCHEM, Marion et al., 2010 ; Castillo‐Rogez et al., 2018 ). We pursue two kinds of simulations: evolution of the ocean composition and physical evolution of the interior.…”

Section: Table A1mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, other solutes such as chlorides can significantly decrease the eutectic temperature. Models have also assumed the occurrence of clathrate hydrates as possible insulating material but this prospect is highly dependent on environmental conditions (e.g., Castillo-Rogez, Melwani Daswani, & Cockell, 2022;Sloan & Koh, 2008) and is not realized in the conditions considered in this study (see Appendix C for more information).…”

Section: Modeling Approach and Setupmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These studies concluded that deep oceans, if present, would be maintained by the presence of ammonia, an antifreeze expected in most icy moons (e.g., Kargel, 1998 ). However, these models did not account for the fate of accreted ammonia in solution: ammonia can speciate into ammonium, which can be the dominant form of nitrogen depending on pH (Fortes, 2012 for Titan; Castillo‐Rogez, Melwani Daswani, & Cockell, 2022 ; Marion et al., 2012 , applicable to a wide range of icy moons), hence diminishing ammonia's antifreeze role significantly. Furthermore, recent studies intended to support the definition of future magnetometer investigations at the Uranian moons (e.g., UOP) did not consider the temperature dependence of electrical conductivity (EC), so that cold oceans sustained by antifreeze may have a very weak or even near‐zero EC.…”

Section: Study Motivations and Goalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The accretion of nonwater volatiles in the Uranian system is expected, based on cosmochemical models (Kargel, 1998 ). In solution CO 2 , CO (carbon monoxide) and NH 4 should produce CO 3 –NH 4 rich liquids (Castillo‐Rogez, Melwani Daswani, & Cockell, 2022 ). Cartwright et al.…”

Section: Observational Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The two aspects are not coupled at present, the main implication being that we obtain bounds on possible evolution outcomes. Future work funded to couple the two aspects (Castillo‐Rogez, Melwani Daswani, & Cockell, 2022 ) will be able to estimate the likelihood of particular outcome for a set of starting assumptions.

Figure D1 Modeling scheme used in this study.…”

Section: Table A1mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Compositions and Interior Structures of the Large Moons of Uranus and Implications for Future Spacecraft Observations

et al. 2023

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The five large moons of Uranus are important targets for future spacecraft missions. To motivate and inform the exploration of these moons, we model their internal evolution, present‐day physical structures, and geochemical and geophysical signatures that may be measured by spacecraft. We predict that if the moons preserved liquid until present, it is likely in the form of residual oceans less than 30 km thick in Ariel, Umbriel, and less than 50 km in Titania, and Oberon. The preservation of liquid strongly depends on material properties and, potentially, on dynamical circumstances that are presently unknown. Miranda is unlikely to host liquid at present unless it experienced tidal heating a few tens of million years ago. We find that since the thin residual layers may be hypersaline, their induced magnetic fields could be detectable by future spacecraft‐based magnetometers. However, if the ocean is maintained primarily by ammonia, and thus well below the water freezing point, then its electrical conductivity may be too small to be detectable by spacecraft. Lastly, our calculated tidal Love number (k2) and dissipation factor (Q) are consistent with the Q/k2 values previously inferred from dynamical evolution models. In particular, we find that the low Q/k2 estimated for Titania supports the hypothesis that Titania currently holds an ocean.

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Section: Table A1mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Modeling Approach and Setupmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Motivations and Goalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Observational Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Figure D1 Modeling scheme used in this study.…”

Section: Table A1mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Compositions and Interior Structures of the Large Moons of Uranus and Implications for Future Spacecraft Observations

et al. 2023

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Acquisition and Preservation of Remanent Magnetization in Carbonaceous Asteroids

et al. 2022

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The solar nebula carried a strong magnetic field that had a stable intensity and direction for periods of a thousand years or more 1 . The solar nebular field may have produced post-accretional magnetization in at least two groups of meteorites, CM and CV chondrites 1-3 , which originated from planetesimals that may have underwent aqueous alteration before gas in the solar nebula dissipated 1,3 . Magnetic minerals produced during aqueous alteration, such as magnetite and pyrrhotite 4 , could acquire a chemical remanent magnetization from that nebular field 3 . However, many questions about the size, composition, formation time, and, ultimately, identity of the parent bodies that produced magnetized CM and CV chondrites await answers-including whether a parent body might exhibit a detectable magnetic field today. Here, we use thermal evolution models to show that planetesimals that formed between a few Myr after CAIs and ~1 Myr before the nebular gas dissipated could acquire from the nebular field, and retain until today, a chemical remanent magnetization throughout nearly their entire volume. Hence, in-situ magnetometer measurements of C-type asteroids could help link magnetized asteroids to magnetized meteorites. Specifically, a future mission could search for a magnetic field as part of testing the hypothesis that 2 Pallas is the parent body of the CM chondrites 5 . Overall, large carbonaceous asteroids might record ancient magnetic fields in magnetic remanence that produces strong modern magnetic fields, even without a metallic core that once hosted a dynamo.

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Ammonium-rich bright areas on Ceres demonstrate complex chemical activity

De Sanctis,

Ammannito,

Carrozzo

et al. 2024

Commun Earth Environ

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The dwarf planet Ceres has been proven to be a world with an extraordinary diversity of chemical species formed in aqueous environments. Dantu crater, being one of the largest and deepest impact craters on Ceres, offers valuable insights into the geological history and composition of this enigmatic world. Its particular position, within a topographic low, can be considered a window into the composition of Ceres’s subsurface. One of the intriguing aspects of Dantu is the presence of several bright areas called “faculae”. These bright materials, distributed unevenly on the Cerean surface, are believed to be residua from salty fluids, likely still circulating in the subsurface and capable to extrude onto the surface, as demonstrated by the identification of fresh hydrohalite (NaCl·2(H2O)) on the bright faculae in another exceptional crate, Occator. The detailed investigation of the Dantu’s faculae reveals the presence of at least two different “populations” of bright materials, compositionally distinct even if in close geographical proximity. These faculae appear different, white and yellow, in the color images (RGB: R = 0.917 μm, G = 0.653 μm, B = 0.438 μm) taken by the Dawn camera. The spectra show that the first population -white- is mainly composed of sodium carbonate, similar to other identified bright areas on Ceres; the second one -yellow- is likely dominated by ammonium-rich components. The spectra of the yellow faculae show specific and clear bands, associated to ammonium bearing phases, but the exact species producing such spectral features are not unambiguously identified. A potential candidate is ammonium bicarbonates, but we cannot exclude other compounds and combinations of different species. Other occurrences of these yellow faculae have been identified in a few other areas, even if less numerous and with a much smaller extent with respect to the Dantu crater. The discovery of a very bright component different from the carbonates and salts previously identified increases the variety and complexity of the salty aqueous solutions on Ceres, offering tantalizing clues about the potential for habitable environments and subsurface fluid reservoirs on this dwarf planet.

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Science Drivers for the Future Exploration of Ceres: From Solar System Evolution to Ocean World Science

Cited by 5 publications

References 208 publications

Compositions and Interior Structures of the Large Moons of Uranus and Implications for Future Spacecraft Observations

Compositions and Interior Structures of the Large Moons of Uranus and Implications for Future Spacecraft Observations

Acquisition and Preservation of Remanent Magnetization in Carbonaceous Asteroids

Ammonium-rich bright areas on Ceres demonstrate complex chemical activity

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