NASA's Dawn mission reveals how water shapes gullies on asteroid Vesta

NASA's Dawn mission has provided new insights into the formation of gullies on the asteroid Vesta. Researchers used lab simulations to explore how brief flows of briny water, possibly from subsurface deposits, could create these features despite Vesta's harsh conditions. The study, published in the Planetary Science Journal, utilized a special testbed to replicate Vesta's environment. It found that salty liquids can remain fluid longer than pure water, potentially allowing them to carve the gullies observed by Dawn. These findings may also apply to other celestial bodies, like Mars and Europa, where similar processes could occur. The research enhances understanding of geological activity on airless worlds, building on previous discoveries from the Dawn mission.