Phosphorus-rich grains in Ryugu samples with major biochemical potential

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C. Pilorget, D. Baklouti, J.-P. Bibring, R. Brunetto, M. Ito, I. Franchi, N. Tomioka, M. Uesugi, A. Yamaguchi, R. Greenwood, T. Okada, T. Usui, T. Yada, K. Hatakeda, K. Yogata, D. Loizeau, T. Le Pivert-Jolivet, T. Jiang, J. Carter, V. Hamm, M. Abe, A. Aléon-Toppani, F. Borondics, Y. Enokido, Y. Hitomi, N. Imae, Y. Karouji, K. Kumagai, M. Kimura, Y. Langevin, C. Lantz, M.-C. Liu, M. Mahlke, A. Miyazaki, Z. Mughal, K. Nagashima, A. Nakano, A. Nakata, A. Nakato, M. Nishimura, T. Ohigashi, T. Ojima, F. Poulet, L. Riu, N. Shirai, Y. Sugiyama, R. Tahara, K. Uesugi, M. Yasutake, H. Yuzawa, A. Moussi-Soffys, S. Nakazawa, T. Saiki, F. Terui, M. Yoshikawa, S. Tanaka, S. Watanabe & Y. Tsuda

Nature Astronomy, Published: 25 September 2024

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“Parent bodies of C-type asteroids may have brought key volatile and organic-rich compounds to the terrestrial planets in the early stages of the Solar System. At the end of 2020, the JAXA Hayabusa2 mission successfully returned samples from Ryugu, providing access to a primitive matter that has not suffered terrestrial alteration. Here we report the discovery of a peculiar class of grains, up to a few hundreds of micrometres in size, that have a hydrated ammonium–magnesium–phosphorus (HAMP)-rich composition. Their specific chemical and physical properties point towards an origin in the outer Solar System, beyond most snow lines, and their preservation along Ryugu history. These phosphorus-rich grains, embedded within an organic-rich phyllosilicate matrix, may have played a major role when immersed in primitive terrestrial water reservoirs. In particular, in contrast to poorly soluble calcium-rich phosphates, HAMP grains favour the release of phosphorus-rich and nitrogen-rich ionic species, to enter chemical reactions. HAMP grains may have thus critically contributed to the reaction pathways of organic matter towards a biochemical evolution.”

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