Secondary mineral prevalence in Ryugu samples, similar to primitive carbonaceous-Ivuna type (CI) chondrites, suggests that aqueous alteration was a key factor in its formation. However, this general consensus masks our limited understanding of the specific mechanisms and environmental conditions involved in water-rock interactions on primitive asteroids. High-resolution cathodoluminescence (CL) analysis of the ubiquitous dolomite crystals in Ryugu samples reveals concentric epitaxial overgrowths with varying levels of Mn2+-activated luminescence. CL panchromatic images and spectral deconvolution provide compelling evidence for the evolution of aqueous fluids toward highly saturated brines. Given the close association of dolomite with widespread intergrowths of serpentine and saponite in the matrix, we propose that brine formation occurs as a byproduct of serpentinization. Unlike large-scale evaporation or freezing, this process can locally cause the hydrothermal fluid to dry out, significantly increasing its salinity over time. This leads to the sporadic precipitation of an evaporite mineral sequence, with dolomite forming at an early stage. This serpentinization-driven brine formation model offers a convincing alternative to a purely prograde alteration history for Ryugu. It may also provide a better explanation for the alteration processes of Bennu and other CI chondrite parent bodies.

It is now possible to bring back samples from planetary bodies of the Solar System other than the moon. This research method enables a direct link between astronomical observations and meteorite analyses, which were previously disconnected. The Hayabusa, Hayabusa2, and OSIRIS REx sample return missions have provided detailed information on the composition of S-, C-, and B-type asteroids, respectively, and the processes by which they were formed. This paper reviews the results of these three asteroid sample return missions, and also introduces the next Martian moon sample return mission MMX. Although sample returns are currently achieved only from near-Earth objects in the Solar System, it is hoped that in the future it will be possible to collect samples from outer Solar System objects and even from small objects flying from outside the Solar System.

Complex organic matter is present in many extraterrestrial materials such as chondrite meteorites, micrometeorites, and interplanetary dust. The observed complexity of this organic matter is due to the combination of diversity of primitive organic materials that accreted onto asteroids and the subsequent effect of hydrothermal and/or metamorphic alteration that took place after accretion. These processes resulted in a variety of carbonaceous grain morphologies, elemental abundances, and organic functional group compositions. Some carbonaceous dust grains and micrometeorites have cometary origins and provide insights into the unique processing histories on those outer Solar System bodies. Isotopic analyses can help distinguish carbonaceous grains that retain their pre-accretion heritage, while advanced microscopy techniques reveal the interplay of complex organic matter with surrounding mineral.

We report the H, C, and N isotopic compositions of microscale (0.2 to 2 mu m) organic matter in samples of asteroid Ryugu and the Orgueil CI carbonaceous chondrite. Three regolith particles of asteroid Ryugu, returned by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft, and several fragments of Orgueil were analyzed by NanoSIMS isotopic imaging. The isotopic distributions of the Ryugu samples from two different collection spots are closely similar to each other and to the Orgueil samples, strengthening the proposed Ryugu-CI chondrite connection. Most individual sub-mu m organic grains have isotopic compositions within error of bulk values, but 2-10 % of them are outliers exhibiting large isotopic enrichments or depletions in D, 15N, and/or 13C. The H, C and N isotopic compositions of the outliers are not correlated with each other: while some organic grains are both D- and 15N-enriched, many are enriched or depleted in one or the other system. This most likely points to a diversity in isotopic fractionation pathways and thus diversity in the local formation environments for the individual outlier grains. The observation of a relatively small population of isotopic outlier grains can be explained either by escape from nebular and/or parent body homogenization of carbonaceous precursor material or addition of later isotopic outlier grains. The strong chemical similarity of isotopically typical and isotopically outlying grains, as reflected by synchrotron x-ray absorption spectra, suggests a genetic connection and thus favors the former, homogenization scenario. However, the fact that even the least altered meteorites show the same pattern of a small population of outliers on top of a larger population of homogenized grains indicates that some or most of the homogenization occurred prior to accretion of the macromolecular organic grains into asteroidal parent bodies.

Context . The JAXA Hayabusa2 mission returned well-preserved samples collected from the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu, providing unique non-terrestrially weathered samples from a known parent body. Aims . This work aims to provide a better understanding of the formation and evolution of primitive asteroidal matter by studying the fine scale association of organic matter and minerals in Ryugu samples. We characterized the samples by IR nanospectroscopy using infrared photothermal nanospectroscopy (AFM-IR) technique. This technique overcomes the diffraction limit (of several microns) of conventional infrared microspectroscopy (µ-FTIR). The samples were mapped in the mid-IR range at a lateral spatial resolution about a hundred times better than with µ-FTIR. This provided us with unique in situ access to the distribution of the different infrared signatures of organic components at the sub-micron scale present in the Ryugu whole-rock samples as well as to the characterization of the compositional variability of Ryugu in the insoluble organic matter (IOM) chemically extracted from the Ryugu samples. Methods . The AFM-IR maps of whole-rock particles and IOM residues from Ryugu samples were recorded with a lateral resolution of tens of nanometers. Spectra were recorded in the 1900–900 cm −1 spectral range by AFM-IR (Icon-IR) for all samples, and additional spectra were recorded from 2700 to 4000 cm −1 for one IOM sample by an optical photothermal IR (O-PTIR) technique using a mIRage® IR microscope. Results . Organic matter is present in two forms in the whole-rock samples: as a diffuse phase intermixed with the phyllosilicate matrix and as individual organic nanoparticles. We identify the Ryugu organic nanoparticles as nanoglobule-like inclusions texturally resembling nanoglobules present in primitive meteorites. Using AFM-IR, we record for the first time the infrared spectra of Ryugu organic nanoparticles that clearly show enhanced carbonyl (C=O) and CH contributions with respect to the diffuse organic matter in Ryugu whole-rock and IOM residue.

This paper is focused on the characterization of the thermal history of C-type asteroid Ryugu through the structure of the polyaromatic carbonaceous matter in the returned samples determined by Raman spectroscopy. Both intact particles and extracted Insoluble Organic Matter (IOM) from the two sampling sites on Ryugu have been characterized. The main conclusions are that (i) there is no structural difference of the polyaromatic component probed by Raman spectroscopy between the two sampling sites, (ii) in a manner similar to type 1 and 2 chondrites, the characterized Ryugu particles did not experience significant long-duration thermal metamorphism related to the radioactive decay of elements such as 26Al; (iii) some structural variability is nevertheless observed within our particle set. It can be interpreted as some particles having experienced some short-duration and weak heating (R3 in the scale defined by Quirico et al. 2018 and TII or lower according to the scale defined by Nakamura, 2005).

Transmission electron microscopy analyses of Hayabusa2 samples show that Ryugu organic matter exhibits a range of morphologies, elemental compositions, and carbon functional chemistries consistent with those of carbonaceous chondrites that have experienced low-temperature aqueous alteration. Both nanoglobules and diffuse organic matter are abundant. Non-globular organic particles are also present, and including some that contain nanodiamond clusters. Diffuse organic matter is finely distributed in and around phyllosilicates, forms coatings on other minerals, and is also preserved in vesicles in secondary minerals such as carbonate and pyrrhotite. The average elemental compositions determined by energy-dispersive spectroscopy of extracted, demineralized insoluble organic matter samples A0107 and C0106 are C 100 N 3 O 9 S 1 and C 100 N 3 O 7 S 1 , respectively, with the difference in O/C slightly outside the difference in the standard error of the mean. The functional chemistry of the nanoglobules varies from mostly aromatic C=C to mixtures of aromatic C=C, ketone C=O, aliphatic (CH n ), and carboxyl (COOH) groups. Diffuse organic matter associated with phyllosilicates has variable aromatic C, ketone and carboxyl groups, and some localized aliphatics, but is dominated by molecular carbonate (CO 3 ) absorption, comparable to prior observations of clay-bound organic matter in CI meteorites.

We summarize mineralogical and compositional results from lab and in-situ spacecraft investigations of samples of comets 81P/Wild 2 and 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko which provide constraints to early solar system evolution. Wild 2 cometary solids were mineralogically similar to anhydrous chondritic Interplanetary Dust Particles with the exception that GEMS have not between reliably reported in the former. Important similarities include the very wide range of olivine and pyroxene bulk compositions (including minor elements), which probably reflects a wide range of sampled grain formation environments. The abundance of presolar materials in the Wild 2 samples is also approximately equal to that in anhydrous chondritic Interplanetary Dust Particles rather than being dramatically higher. High-temperature aggregates including chondrules (mainly type II), CAI and AOAs are also present in Wild 2, but probably at less than 10

The Hayabusa2 mission from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) returned to the Earth samples of carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu. This mission offers a unique opportunity to investigate in the laboratory samples from a C-type asteroid, without physical or chemical alteration by the terrestrial atmosphere. Here, we report on an investigation of the mineralogy and the organo-chemistry of Hayabusa2 samples using a combination of micro- and nano-infrared spectroscopy. Particles investigated with conventional FTIR spectroscopy have spectra dominated by phyllosilicate-related absorption, as observed for samples of CI-chondrites, selected ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites, and selected hydrated micrometeorites. Ryugu samples show smaller sulfate-related absorption than CI-chondrites. Our samples that were only briefly exposed to the Earth atmosphere show absorptions related to molecular water, revealing fast terrestrial contamination of the spectral signature at 3 mu m. Overall, our FTIR data are in agreement with other work done on Ryugu samples, revealing a low degree of mineralogical variability across Ryugu samples. AFM-IR mapping of the grains shows the presence of a micrometer-sized organic globule in one of our analyzed grains. The AFM-IR spectra obtained on this globule are similar to IR spectra obtained on IOM suggesting that it is constituted of refractory organic matter. This globule may host silicate in its interior, with a different mineralogy than bulk Ryugu phyllosilicate. The shape, presence of peculiar silicate, and the nature of organic constituting the globule point toward a pre-accretionary origin of this globule and that at least part of Ryugu organics were inherited from the protosolar nebulae or the interstellar media. Altogether, our results show the similarities between Ryugu samples and CI chondrites.

We present here an investigation of Ryugu particles recovered by the Hayabusa2 space mission and their extracted carbonaceous acid residues using Raman spectroscopy. Raman parameters of Ryugu intact grains and their acid residues are characterized by broad D (defect induced) and G (graphite) band widths, indicating the presence of polyaromatic carbonaceous matter with low thermal maturity. Raman spectra of Ryugu particles and CI (type 1) chondrites exhibit stronger laser-induced fluorescence backgrounds compared to Type 2 and Type 3 carbonaceous chondrites. The high fluorescence signatures and wide bandwidths of the D and G bands of Ryugu intact grains are similar to the Raman spectra observed in CI chondrites, reflecting the low structural order of their aromatic carbonaceous matter, and strengthening the link between Ryugu particles and CI chondrites. The high fluorescence background intensity of the Ryugu particles is due to multiple causes, but it is likely that the relative abundance of geometry-bearing macromolecular organic matter in total organic carbon contents makes a large contribution to the fluorescence intensities. Locally observed high fluorescence in the acid-extracted residues of Ryugu is due to nitrogen-bearing outlier phase. The high fluorescence signature is one consequence of the low degree of thermal maturity of the organic matter and supports evidence that the Ryugu particles have escaped significant parent body thermal metamorphism.

We report a Fourier transform infrared analysis of functional groups in insoluble organic matter (IOM) extracted from a series of 100-500 mu m Ryugu grains collected during the two touchdowns of February 22 and July 11, 2019. IOM extracted from most of the samples is very similar to IOM in primitive CI, CM, and CR chondrites, and shows that the extent of thermal metamorphism in Ryugu regolith was, at best, very limited. One sample displays chemical signatures consistent with a very mild heating, likely due to asteroidal collision impacts. We also report a lower carbonyl abundance in Ryugu IOM samples compared to primitive chondrites, which could reflect the accretion of a less oxygenated precursor by Ryugu. The possible effects of hydrothermal alteration and terrestrial weathering are also discussed. Last, no firm conclusions could be drawn on the origin of the soluble outlier phases, observed along with IOM in this study and in the preliminary analysis of Ryugu samples. However, it is clear that the HF/HCl residues presented in this publication are a mix between IOM and the nitrogen-rich outlier phase.

Primordial carbon delivered to the early earth by asteroids and meteorites provided a diverse source of extraterrestrial organics from pre-existing simple organic compounds, complex solar-irradiated macromolecules, and macromolecules from extended hydrothermal processing. Surface regolith collected by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft from the carbon-rich asteroid 162173 Ryugu present a unique opportunity to untangle the sources and processing history of carbonaceous matter. Here we show carbonaceous grains in Ryugu can be classified into three main populations defined by spectral shape: Highly aromatic (HA), Alkyl-Aromatic (AA), and IOM-like (IL). These carbon populations may be related to primordial chemistry, since C and N isotopic compositions vary between the three groups. Diffuse carbon is occasionally dominated by molecular carbonate preferentially associated with coarse-grained phyllosilicate minerals. Compared to related carbonaceous meteorites, the greater diversity of organic functional chemistry in Ryugu indicate the pristine condition of these asteroid samples.

Micrometeorites are estimated to represent the main part of the present flux of extraterrestrial matter found on the Earth's surface and provide valuable samples to probe the interplanetary medium. Here, we describe large and representative collections of micrometeorites currently available to the scientific community. These include Antarctic collections from surface ice and snow, as well as glacial sediments from the eroded top of nunataks-summits outcropping from the icesheet-and moraines. Collections extracted from deep-sea sediments (DSS) produced a large number of micrometeorites, in particular, iron-rich cosmic spherules that are rarer in other collections. Collections from the old and stable surface of the Atacama Desert show that finding large numbers of micrometeorites is not restricted to polar regions or DSS. The advent of rooftop collections marks an important step into involving citizen science in the study of micrometeorites, as well as providing potential sampling locations over all latitudes to explore the modern flux. We explore their strengths of the collections to address specific scientific questions and their potential weaknesses. The future of micrometeorite research will involve the finding of large fossil micrometeorite collections and benefit from recent advances in sampling cosmic dust directly from the air. This article is part of the theme issue 'Dust in the Solar System and beyond'.

During ESA's Rosetta science mission, the COSIMA instrument collected dust particles in the coma of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko during two years near the comet's nucleus. The largest particles are about 1mm in size. The collection process involved a low velocity impact on porous gold-black surfaces, often resulting in breakup, from which information on structural properties has previously been derived (Langevin et al., 2016). However, some of the particles were collected with little damage, but fragmented due to charging during subsequent secondary ion mass spectrometry. This report shows that the details of this electrical fragmentation support the concept of the existence of stable units with sizes of tens of μm within the incoming cometary dust particles prior to collection, possibly representing remnants of the early accretion processes.

Cometary dust particles are best preserved remnants of the matter present at the onset of the formation of the Solar System. Space missions, telescopic observations and laboratory analyses advanced the knowledge on the properties of cometary dust. Cometary samples were returned from comet 81P/Wild2 by the Stardust mission. The chondritic (porous) anhydrous interplanetary dust particles and chondritic porous micrometeorites, and the ultracarbonaceous Antarctic micrometeorites (UCAMMs) also show strong evidence for a cometary origin. The composition of cometary dust is generally chondritic, but with high C and N compared with CI. The cometary organic matter is mixed with minor amounts of crystalline and amorphous minerals. The most abundant crystalline minerals are ferromagnesian silicates, refractory minerals and low Ni Fe sulfides are also present. The presence of carbonates in cometary dust is still debated, but a phyllosilicate-like phase was observed in a UCAMM. GEMS phases are usually abundant. Some of the organic matter present in cometary dust particle resembles the insoluble organic matter present in primitive meteorites, but amorphous carbon and exotic (e.g. N-rich) organic phases are also present. The H isotopic composition of the organic matter traces a formation at very low temperatures, in the protosolar cloud or in the outer regions of the protoplanetary disk. The presolar dust concentration in cometary dust can reach about 1%, which is the most elevated value observed in extraterrestrial samples. The differential size distribution of cometary dust in comet trails is well represented by a power-law distribution with a mean power index N typically ranging from -3 to -4. Polarimetric and light scattering studies suggest mixtures of porous agglomerates of sub-micrometer minerals with organic matter. Cometary dust particles have low tensile strength, and low density.

Samples of the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu were collected and brought to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. We investigated the macromolecular organic matter in Ryugu samples and found that it contains aromatic and aliphatic carbon, ketone, and carboxyl functional groups. The spectroscopic features of the organic matter are consistent with those in chemically primitive carbonaceous chondrite meteorites that experienced parent-body aqueous alteration (reactions with liquid water). The morphology of the organic carbon includes nanoglobules and diffuse carbon associated with phyllosilicate and carbonate minerals. Deuterium and/or nitrogen-15 enrichments indicate that the organic matter formed in a cold molecular cloud or the presolar nebula. The diversity of the organic matter indicates variable levels of aqueous alteration on Ryugu's parent body.