Asteroids in the solar system could contain undiscovered, superheavy elements

[Admin]

Scientists have predicted for a long time that elements with around 164 protons could have a relatively long half-life, or even be stable.

Asteroids in the solar system could contain undiscovered, superheavy elements : Read more

 

[Alan Sailer]

Its a very creative theory but there is no evidence (other than asteroid density) to support it.

First, we have lots of samples from asteroids in our meteorite collection. There have been no findings of any super heavy transuranic elements. None. How could a segregation mechanism create one super heavy asteroid composed mostly of super-heavy element and but have no trace of them in any other sample?

Second, the Earth itself was formed from the same reservoir of dust and debris. No super heavy elements.

Third, another asteroid has been found with super high density. This density was later shown to be inaccurate from further measurements. Rather than theorize such an exotic solution we need to wait for further data that I predict will show the density is explainable with conventional elements.

I also predict the Bennu sample will show only conventional elements. It's a C class asteroid which
are already found in existing meteorites in our collections

Cheers.

 

[Galumph]

Its a very creative theory but there is no evidence (other than asteroid density) to support it.

First, we have lots of samples from asteroids in our meteorite collection. There have been no findings of any super heavy transuranic elements. None. How could a segregation mechanism create one super heavy asteroid composed mostly of super-heavy element and but have no trace of them in any other sample?

Second, the Earth itself was formed from the same reservoir of dust and debris. No super heavy elements.

Third, another asteroid has been found with super high density. This density was later shown to be inaccurate from further measurements. Rather than theorize such an exotic solution we need to wait for further data that I predict will show the density is explainable with conventional elements.

I also predict the Bennu sample will show only conventional elements. It's a C class asteroid which
are already found in existing meteorites in our collections

Cheers.

All great points. Hypothesizing there to be super heavy elements in the Island of Stability within asteroids is wishful thinking. It's likely that if there were amalgamations of large quantities of these elements, they would form a critical mass and would quickly cease to exist in that form. It's why nobody thinks there are large quantities of uranium or plutonium in the center of the Earth (acknowledging that U-238 doesn't do the fission thing, but it largely comes from U-235, which does).

We would also almost certainly find traces of superheavy elements on/near the surface of the Earth due to meteorite bombardment from the past 100,000 years or so. We would have likely detected them while looking for radiation sources. We would have unknown spectra in various astrophysical events.

Maybe there are very tiny traces of these elements somewhere in the solar system, but certainty not enough to account for significantly increased densities in things like asteroids.

 

[Alan Sailer]

Had not considered the fission of super-heavy elements. A worthwhile point.

Cheers.