Dark material on Vesta from the infall of carbonaceous volatile-rich material

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 491; no. 7422; pp. 83 - 86
• Main Authors: McCord, T. B., Li, J.-Y., Combe, J.-P., McSween, H. Y., Jaumann, R., Reddy, V., Tosi, F., Williams, D. A., Blewett, D. T., Turrini, D., Palomba, E., Pieters, C. M., De Sanctis, M. C., Ammannito, E., Capria, M. T., Le Corre, L., Longobardo, A., Nathues, A., Mittlefehldt, D. W., Schröder, S. E., Hiesinger, H., Beck, A. W., Capaccioni, F., Carsenty, U., Keller, H. U., Denevi, B. W., Sunshine, J. M., Raymond, C. A., Russell, C. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.11.2012; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 639/33/445; Albedo; Asteroids; Asteroids (minor planets); Astronomy; Carbonaceous rocks; Chemical composition; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Gamma rays; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hypotheses; letter; Meteors & meteorites; Moons; multidisciplinary; Natural history; Planetary, asteroid, and satellite characteristics and properties; Planets, their satellites and rings. Asteroids; Properties; Pyroxene; Saturn; Science; Solar system; Spectra; Vesta (Asteroid); United States; Comets; Mixing; Albedo; Meteorites; Asteroids; Surface properties; Regolith

From spectra and images of Vesta, it is suggested that the dark patches on Vesta are formed of infalling hydrated carbonaceous material and the bright patches are uncontaminated Vesta soil. A Dawn view of Vesta Between 16 July 2011 and 5 September 2012, NASA's space probe Dawn was orbiting Vest...