Studies have recently confirmed that the dwarf planet Ceres holds water ice at its poles. It was found that the ice has been buried in the craters of the planet particularly in its darkest regions causing it to be shielded from the sun. Experts have also confirmed that for being the largest object of the asteroid belt but also the smallest dwarf planet in the solar system, Ceres contains ice in its crust, which could point to a subsurface ocean and the possibility of life.
Ceres And Its Features Finally Revealed: Can A Life Form Be Possible?
According to reports revealed by Inverse, two of the most recent studies have exposed that Ceres is a wet world, with pockets of frozen water-ice residing in permanently shadowed craters which is known to be a phenomenon that has only been observed in three places: the moon, Mercury, and now the dwarf planet Ceres. It was found that the ion-propelled Dawn spacecraft has been orbiting Ceres since 2015, and it has already detected plumes of water vapor, a potential cryovolcano, as well as exposed water-ice. But Dawn isn't finished yet. The latest results from its GRaND instrument (gamma ray and neutron detector) provides possible clues at broad storages of water ice found to be just below the surface and at the poles.
Furthermore, experts have also found that the craters at Ceres' poles are in fact, permanently engulfed in darkness, and these spots are cold enough to have been collecting ice over billions of years. In one of his statements revealed by Daily Mail, study lead researcher Dr. Thomas Platz said that the icy craters suggest that there are still a lot of ice presence in the planet's crust but just haven't been fully discovered yet. At the moment, Dr. Platz and his team are allegedly on the move in investigating as to whether or not there is an ocean hidden beneath its surface.
Personally, Dr. Platz revealed that he is a bit skeptical about the discovery, however, experts have highly emphasized that there is high interest in the said dwarf plant because it is considered as being a record of the early solar system.
