TOP 5 ELEMENTS

ON THE SURFACE OF

CERES

%
33
%

%
%
20

17
11
7%
6 8 12 14 26

C O Mg Si Fe
Carbon Oxygen Magnesium Silicon Iron
Credit: NASA
Source:
Braukmüller et al. (2018). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Vol. 239.
Marchi et al. (2019). Nature Astronomy, Vol 3.
Mason (1963). Space Science Reviews, Vol. 1.
CERES DR. M. CRISTINA
Discovered in 1801 by the Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi, Ceres was
the first object discovered in the main asteroid belt. Because of its planet-like
DE SANCTIS
Italian National Astrophysics Institute
characteristics, Ceres was designated a dwarf planet in 2006. Images from
the Dawn mission show evidence for recent and potentially ongoing geologic
activity on Ceres. This was unexpected considering its relatively small diameter Dr. M. Cristina De Sanctis is a Senior Researcher
(950 kilometers), which caused at the Italian National Astrophysics Institute
it to cool quicker than Earth, in Rome, Italy. Although she has always been
as well as its distance from fascinated by space in general, she is mainly
the Sun (about three times the interested in understanding the surface properties
Earth-Sun distance), making it of Mercury, Mars, and icy bodies such as comets
very cold. Ceres’ low density and asteroids. She is an expert in modeling the
infers it to be about 25% water thermal evolution of minor bodies, particularly
ice by mass, making it one of cometary nuclei. Her recent investigations include
the most water-rich bodies in the study of the origin and composition of Ceres
the inner solar system, second using data gathered by the Dawn mission. She
only to Earth. Data from the has also led many observational campaigns using
This false-color image of Ceres’ Occator crater illustrates Dawn spacecraft revealed the large, groundbased telescopes. She is the Principal Investigator of the visual/
in sharp detail light and dark material found across the surface of Ceres is covered infrared (VIR) spectrometer on the Dawn spacecraft and the Mars Multispectral
surface of Ceres. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/ Imager for Subsurface Studies (Ma_MISS) instrument on the European Space
MPS/DLR/IDA. by mostly dark materials in
addition to phyllosilicates, Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars rover. She is a Co-Investigator for other NASA and
carbonates, and salts. Ammonium-bearing compounds were also discovered, ESA missions including Rosetta, Bepi-Colombo, Mars Express, JUICE, and
suggesting the materials that make up Ceres, or Ceres itself, formed in the the Prospect mission to the Moon. She has contributed to, or led, a number of
outer regions of the solar system. This observation provides additional evidence proposals, studies, and development phases for space missions to the solar
that the early solar system experienced dramatic reorganizations and collisional system. She is a member of several advisory groups within NASA, ESA, and
events before reaching its current arrangement. The surface composition also other European institutions. De Sanctis loves educating the next generation of
indicates the presence of salts, which could promote long-term liquid water science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals and
activity on and below the surface. The Dawn mission showed Ceres would be fostering better inclusivity in STEM fields. She is particularly passionate about
an attractive location for future missions searching for possible signs of life. In outreach to promote science to girls and other minorities. She regularly gives
addition to large amounts of water, Ceres is one of the few places in the solar talks in schools, in the community, and on TV and radio. Asteroid (17899) Maria
system that shows clear evidence for organic compounds that can be possible Cristina is named after her.
indicators of life.

Founded at the height of the Apollo program in 1968, the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) is an
The year 2019 marks the 150th anniversary of Dmitri Mendeleev’s development of the Periodic intellectual leader in lunar and planetary science. LPI’s mission is to advance understanding of the
System and has been proclaimed the “International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical solar system by providing exceptional science, service, and inspiration to the world. The research
Elements” (IYPT2019). carried out at LPI supports NASA’s efforts to explore the solar system.
www.iypt2019.org www.lpi.usra.edu