Recent replenishment of aliphatic organics on Ceres from a large subsurface reservoirOPEN ACCESS 

Maria Cristina De Sanctis, Giuseppe A. Baratta, John R. Brucato, Julie Castillo-Rogez, Mauro Ciarniello, Fabio Cozzolino, Simone De Angelis, Marco Ferrari, Daniele Fulvio, Massimo Germanà, Vito Mennella, Silvia Pagnoscin, Maria Elisabetta Palumbo, Giovanni Poggiali, Ciprian Popa, Andrea Raponi, Carlotta Scirè, Giovanni Strazzulla, Riccardo Giovanni Urso

Science Advances, 25 Sep 2024, Vol 10, Issue 39

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“Ceres hosts notable aliphatic-organic concentrations, ranging from approximately 5 to >30 weight % in specific surface areas. The origins and persistence of these organics are under debate due to the intense aliphatic organic signature and radiation levels in Ceres’ orbit, which would typically lead to their destruction, hindering detection. To investigate this, we conducted laboratory experiments to replicate how the signature of the organic-rich regions would degrade due to radiation. Our findings indicate a fast degradation rate, implying the exposure of buried organics within the past few million years. This degradation rate, coupled with observed quantities, implies that the aliphatics must be present in substantial quantities within the shallow subsurface. Our estimates suggest an initial aliphatic abundance 2 to 30 times greater than currently observed, surpassing significantly the levels found in carbonaceous chondrites, indicating either a significant concentration or remarkable purity.”