Revealing the Origins of Meteorites

A groundbreaking study has unveiled that more than two-thirds of all known meteorites originate from only three distinct asteroid families, stemming from collisions that occurred approximately 6, 8, and 40 million years ago in the main asteroid belt. This remarkable finding comes from an international research team, which has successfully traced 37% of all known meteorites back to a single collision 40 million years ago. These findings now allow scientists to identify the origins of over 90% of meteorites, a significant leap from the previous understanding, where only 6% could be attributed to specific origins, according to France’s national research center CNRS.

Recent Collisions Behind Meteorite Surplus

The study points out that the sheer number of meteorites stemming from relatively recent collisions is not entirely unexpected. Younger asteroid families consist of numerous small and fast-moving fragments that can readily escape the asteroid belt and fall to Earth as meteorites. The asteroid families identified as sources are known as Karin, Koronis, and Massalia, whose high production rate suggests they might eventually be surpassed by new families resulting from future impactful collisions between Mars and Jupiter.

Advanced Methods Uncover Asteroid Histories

This new understanding of asteroid origins was achieved through meticulous examination of asteroid family compositions using advanced telescopes and simulations. This approach also helped track the origins of some of the largest known asteroids, such as Ryugu and Bennu, both of which derive from the Polana family of asteroids. These findings are detailed in a recently published paper in the journal Nature. Going forward, the research team aims to further explore the origins of the remaining unidentified meteorites.

For more information, view the original article published on heise online.