To Bennu and Back: Using asteroids to reveal the geological history of the Solar

Asteroids are the building blocks of the Solar System, providing a detailed record of the processes and events that shaped the planets. Dark C-type asteroids are thought to contain water and organic matter and were likely an important source of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and prebiotic molecules to the early Earth. We can learn about the composition of C-type asteroids from meteorites, but these rocks only reveal part of the story due to terrestrial contamination. JAXA’s Hayabusa2 and NASA’s OSIRIS-REx missions therefore set out to collect and return to Earth pristine samples of the C-type asteroids Ryugu and Bennu, respectively. I’ll talk about what we’ve learnt from Ryugu and give an update on the first analyses of Bennu samples.

Speaker Bio

Ashley is a Research Fellow at the Natural History Museum, London, where I investigate the origins of the Solar System and formation of planets through the laboratory analysis of meteorites and samples returned by space missions. I’m a member of the sample analysis teams for the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx missions and the current lead of the UK Fireball Alliance (UKFAll), a collaboration between meteor camera networks that aims to recover freshly fallen meteorites in the UK.

Tickets are available for both In-Person attendance and virtual attendance via Zoom.

Location

The Geological Society is located at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BG. The main entrance is located opposite Fortnum & Mason.

Programme

17:30 - 18:00: Guests will arrive for the public lecture

18:00 - 19:00: Talk takes place (including a Q&A)

19:00: Event ends