JAXA: Infrared astronomical satellite “AKARI” data analysis – discovered water on 17 asteroids
The JAXA research group carried out asteroids and observations with infrared astronomical satellite “AKARI” with near infrared rays.
It was the first time in the world to succeed in grasping “features indicating the presence of water minerals in many asteroids”.
It is impossible to observe many asteroids from the astronomical observatory (around the wavelength of 2.7 micrometers).
From the detailed analysis of the obtained data, we revealed evolution process of C type asteroid same as Ryugu.
This research result is published in “Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan” on 17th December.
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2018/12/20181217_astro_f_j.html
https://scienceportal.jst.go.jp/news/newsflash_review/newsflash/2018/12/20181218_01.html