Reconstructing the aqueous environment of the Ryugu parent body through the speciation of multiple elements

The parent body of the C-type asteroid Ryugu experienced aqueous alteration. The past aqueous environments have been reconstructed using mineralogies and geochemical modeling, often assuming Na-Cl-rich fluid compositions. Here, we reconstruct Ryugu’s aqueous environment using chemical equilibrium modeling constrained by Electron Probe Microanalyzer (EPMA) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. Our results suggest that Ryugu water possessed lower salinity than previously estimated and was highly reducing (Eh: −0.5 to −0.8 V) and strongly alkaline (pH: 10.3 to 11.5) conditions conducive to prebiotic organic reactions. The inferred high hydrogen fugacity, lack of NaCl, and low salinity recorded in Ryugu sample suggest that aqueous alteration occurred beneath a surface ice layer, with subsequent ice sublimation driving water loss. These findings refine our understanding of C-type asteroids evolution and the quantity and nature of water delivered to the early Earth. Analysis of the elemental species composition of returned samples from the C-type asteroid Ryugu indicates that Ryugu’s aqueous environment was highly reducing and strongly alkaline, conditions conducive to prebiotic organic reactions.