Research

Understanding Ceres

Enhanced color view of Ceres from Dawn framing camera data (NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA)

Icy and ocean worlds form a continuum with aqueously-altered large asteroids. The surprising discovery of Dawn that Ceres is a geologically-active world with ammoniated-phyllosilicates, organics, and perhaps subsurface brines spurs ongoing study to understand aqueous alteration of large asteroids as well as dynamical exchange of outer solar system material inward. Upcoming and proposed missions to Europa, Enceladus, and other icy bodies provide exciting opportunities to understand these worlds.

• Spectral properties of asteroids, carbonaceous chondrites, and their record of aqueous alteration and organic synthesis
• Spectroscopy of ices and their mixtures
• Future mission concepts