Water delivery in the Early Solar System

TL;DR

This paper investigates how water-rich small bodies from the early Solar System, especially from the Hungaria asteroid group, could have contributed to Earth's water through collisions after planet formation.

Contribution

It provides first results on water transport via inclined planetesimals in the early Solar System, highlighting the role of the Hungaria group in delivering water to Earth.

Findings

Inclined planetesimals can be efficient water carriers.

Hungaria asteroid group exemplifies realistic water transport scenarios.

Estimated contribution of scattered small bodies to Earth's water content.

Abstract

As part of the national scientific network 'Pathways to Habitable Worlds' the delivery of water onto terrestrial planets is a key question since water is essential for the development of life as we know it. After summarizing the state of the art we show some first results of the transport of water in the early Solar System for scattered main belt objects. Hereby we investigate the questions whether planetesimals and planetesimal fragments which have gained considerable inclination due to the strong dynamical interactions in the main belt region around 2 AU can be efficient water transporting vessels. The Hungaria asteroid group is the best example that such scenarios are realistic. Assuming that the gas giants and the terrestrial planets are already formed, we monitor the collisions of scattered small bodies containing water (in the order of a few percent) with the terrestrial planets. Thus we are able to give a first estimate concerning the respective contribution of such bodies to the actual water content in the crust of the Earth.