A team led by the Southwest Research Institute has developed a revised solar composition model that reconciles spectroscopy and helioseismology measurements, addressing the long-standing "solar abundances" problem. This research, published in the AAS Astrophysical Journal, highlights more abundant levels of solar carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen than previously estimated.
Dr. Ngoc Truong, a postdoctoral researcher at SwRI, noted that this interdisciplinary analysis combines compositional data from primitive bodies like Kuiper Belt objects, asteroids, and comets with new solar data sets. The research successfully aligns solar system formation models with the compositions of large Kuiper Belt objects and carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, informed by samples from JAXA's Hayabusa-2 and NASA's OSIRIS-REx missions.
The team utilized solar neutrino measurements, solar wind composition data from NASA's Genesis mission, and the abundance of water found in primitive meteorites. Densities of large Kuiper Belt objects, including Pluto and Charon, were determined by NASA's New Horizons mission.
Dr. Christopher Glein, an expert in planetary geochemistry at SwRI, emphasized that the research reveals a richer mix of chemical elements in the solar system's formation. This new understanding impacts theories about the elemental abundances in giant planet atmospheres and future explorations, such as NASA's upcoming mission to Uranus.
Furthermore, the findings will influence the search for habitable exoplanets, as scientists measure stellar abundances to infer the compositions of orbiting planets. The study enhances insights into the formation and evolution of other stars and planetary systems, contributing to a broader understanding of galactic chemical evolution.
This research was supported by SwRI's Internal Research and Development program and the Heising-Simons Foundation, with a contribution from a scientist affiliated with Cornell University.