Adhering grains and surface features on two Itokawa particles

摘要: We investigated the surface texture and chemical compositions of two ~40-μm particles returned from regolith asteroid Itokawa (RB-DQ04-0062 RB-DQ04-0091) by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Hayabusa mission. identified splash melts, blistering, many small adhering particles. Seven focused ion beam sections were extracted both particles, targeting one melt ten to investigate their composition provenance role micrometeoroid impacts on Itokawa’s surface. Based particle’s structure, mineralogy, interface between particle host grain, we lithic fragments deposited impact. These have morphologies consistent with impact-generated deposits: that are silica glass, was a Ni-free, metallic Fe, S-rich assemblage likely generated vapor recondensation during This study shows that, even though its is young, altered Itokawa.