NASA thinks it knows the nature of Ceres stains.

Light spots with a very high albedo, which are located in one of the impact craters of Ceres , have been a mystery to scientists for many months. True, if earlier there were many reports on the Web that these spots are nothing but a manifestation of an alien civilization, now all this has subsided. Instead, serious scientists publish the materials, proving that the spots are either the emergence of water ice to the surface (which is consistent with the sealed “haze” coming from the crater), or it is the output of mineral salts.

It is the last option that is now accepted as the basis for the Dawn team - NASA believes that the spots are the release of mineral salts, the outcrop caused by a meteorite that once hit the surface of Ceres in this particular place. The head of the Dawn project team, Chris Russell (Chris Russell) believes that it is still not water ice, but salt. True, what kind of chemical compounds are found here is not yet clear. This statement goes against the theory that beneath the surface of Ceres there is liquid water, which freezes when a meteorite hits the surface of Ceres after it leaves.

According to Russell, the presence of mineral salts in this place is an indicator of the current activity of Ceres. Moreover, the scientist believes that the salt came out not under the influence of a meteorite impact, but independently. The truth is that NASA does not yet understand the mechanism of salt ingress to the surface of Ceres, which, as far as can be judged, is very dry.
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Another feature of the spots in the Occator crater is that right in the middle of the largest spot there is a hill of a certain type. In this case, Russell mentioned the high mountain found on Ceres, with a high level of albedo. Scientists believe that this may also be some kind of mineral compound. In addition to this mountain on Ceres, there may also be its “relative”, the photo of which Dawn has not yet received.

The formation of mountains on Ceres is another mystery. The explanation may be geological activity caused by the presence of subsurface ice. Mountain building on Earth took place in a different way, but on Ceres there are special conditions that are not similar to those on earth.

Russell also noted that if there is liquid water in Ceres, then life can ever be found in it. One of the reasons for abandoning the mission, during which the earth apparatus will land on Ceres, is the fear that the planetoid will be "infected" with earthly microorganisms.



Previously, scientists have already expressed their surprise about the irregular shape of craters. Another surprise was also discovered - information obtained by a neutron spectrometer and gamma radiation. The tool recorded three flashes of high-energy electrons, which may be the result of the interaction of Ceres and the sun's radiation. So far, this observation has not received a full explanation, but the event may be important for understanding the structure of the planetoid and the processes occurring on Ceres.

Let me remind you that at present the Dawn probe is in a relatively low orbit of Ceres, at an altitude of 1,470 kilometers from the surface of the planetoid. The spacecraft will receive a complete image of the entire surface of the planetoid during several flights of the object. Each flight takes about 11 days. Beginning in October, Dawn moves to an even lower orbit — 375 kilometers from the surface. In this position, the spacecraft will continue to monitor Ceres and photograph its surface. The device will work at least until mid-2016.