Solar System’s Largest Moon Was Shifted by Giant Asteroid Impact, Study Says

A gargantuan asteroid interaction connected Ganymede, the star system’s largest moon, importantly altered the body’s axis, according to a caller study successful Scientific Reports.

Ganymede is simply a Jovian satellite that is larger than Mercury. It’s a compelling venue for technological (and specifically astrobiological) probe due to the fact that the satellite is suspected to harbor an water of liquid h2o nether its icy surface. But the caller probe affirms different absorbing section successful Ganymede’s story, 1 posited arsenic aboriginal arsenic the 1980s: that astir 4 cardinal years ago, the satellite was impacted by a monolithic asteroid, which near arcing furrows connected the moon’s surface.

In the caller study, Hirata Naoyuki, a researcher astatine Kobe University, simulated the size of the asteroid that would person caused the furrow structures connected Ganymede. Hirata recovered that the asteroid that slammed into Ganymede was astir 20 times larger than the asteroid that deed Earth 66 cardinal years ago, ending the reign of the dinosaurs.

Furrows (right) connected Ganymede’s surface, which formed astir a cardinal spot (noted successful reddish +, left). Image: HIRATA Naoyuki

The transient crater created by the interaction was betwixt 870 and 994 miles (1,400 and 1,600 kilometers) across. According to the simulations, the impacting assemblage would person to person been that ample to displacement Ganymede’s rotational axis to wherever it is today.

“The elephantine interaction indispensable person had a important interaction connected the aboriginal improvement of Ganymede, but the thermal and structural effects of the interaction connected the interior of Ganymede person not yet been investigated astatine all. I judge that further probe applying the interior improvement of crystal moons could beryllium carried retired next,” Hirata said.

Luckily, that enactment of probe is connected the docket. More than a decennary since it was announced, ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) ngo launched past year. The spacecraft recently swung by Earth and the Moon connected its mode to the Jovian system, wherever it is expected to get successful 2031. JUICE volition marque six months of observations of Ganymede successful 2034, which could shed airy connected the geological past of the star system’s biggest moon.

Of course, the main absorption connected Ganymede has to bash with life, which has not yet been discovered beyond Earth. Both Ganymede and Jupiter’s satellite Europa person showed signs of harboring h2o nether their icy shells; successful 2021, water vapor was detected successful Ganymede’s atmosphere. Since h2o is simply a prerequisite for beingness arsenic we cognize it, determination is simply a batch of anticipation riding connected the JUICE mission. We’ll cognize a batch much successful conscionable 7 abbreviated years.