Low thermal inertia of carbonaceous asteroid Bennu driven by cracks observed in returned samples

Ryan, A. J.; Ballouz, R.-L.; Macke, R. J.; Ishizaki, T.; Alasli, A.; Biele, J.; Eckley, S. A.; Hoover, C. G.; Jardine, K.; King, A. J.; Opeil, C. P.; Pajola, M.; Tusberti, F.; Barnes, J. J.; Bates, H. C.; Berger, E. L.; Bierhaus, E. B.; Calva, C.; Cambioni, Saverio; Cheng, F.; Delbo, M.; DellaGiustina, D. N.; Dworkin, J. P.; Elder, C. M.; Emery, J. P.; Freemantle, J.; Fujita, R.; Glavin, D. P.; Gonzalez, C.; Haenecour, P.; Hamilton, V. E.; Hanna, R. D.; Hanton, L. T. J.; Harrington, R.; Hildebrand, A. R.; Hill, D. H.; Ishimaru, K.; Jawin, E. R.; Kontogiannis, M. K.; Lunning, N. G.; McCoy, T. J.; Molaro, J. L.; Montoya, M.; Nagano, H.; O’Neal, E. W.; Plummer, J.; Righter, K.; Sakatani, N.; Sánchez, P.; Schofield, P. F.; Siegler, M. A.; Tanaka, S. J.; Zega, T. J.; Wolner, C. W. V.; Connolly, H. C.; Lauretta, D. S.

doi:10.1038/s41467-026-68505-1

articleNature CommunicationsMar 17, 2026GOLD OA

Low thermal inertia of carbonaceous asteroid Bennu driven by cracks observed in returned samples

AJA. J. Ryan RBR.-L. Ballouz RJR. J. Macke TIT. Ishizaki AAA. Alasli

Planetary Science Institute · University of Arizona · +31 more institutions

PubMed

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Abstract

Thermal inertia is used to infer physical properties of asteroid surfaces. The carbonaceous asteroid Bennu has low thermal inertia suggestive of a surface covered in sub-centimeter rock fragments. However, spacecraft observations revealed that Bennu is instead blanketed by boulders of differing physical properties, with the most abundant population displaying very low thermal inertia compared to carbonaceous chondritic meteorites. Here we show that morphologically distinct particles in samples returned from Bennu also possess distinct thermal and physical properties, consistent with their genetic connection to the boulders. Angular particles have higher thermal inertia, greater hardness, and fewer but longer…

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Keywords

Asteroid
Thermal inertia
Thermal
Impact crater
Inertia

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