Abstract
We used the FORCAST instrument on SOFIA to obtain mid-infrared spectra (4.9–13.7 μm) of four S-type asteroids: (7) Iris, (11) Parthenope, (18) Melpomene, and (20) Massalia. Three of these four silicate-rich asteroids (Iris, Melpomene, and Massalia) were observed to have 3 μm features indicative of hydration by McAdam et al. We report a detection of a 6 μm feature that is unambiguously attributed to molecular water on two asteroids, Iris and Massalia, with peak heights of 4.532% ± 0.011% and 4.476% ± 0.012%, respectively. We estimate the abundance of molecular water based on these peak heights to be 454 ± 202 μg g−1 and 448 ± 209 μg g−1, consistent with values found on the sunlit Moon by SOFIA+FORCAST.
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