Ceres' Water Ice Hides Vast Salt Deposits, New Study Finds

New research suggests salt deposits on Ceres may be 30 to 50 percent more abundant than previously estimated, as water ice can mask their true extent, according to a Caltech study published in JGR: Planets. Using NASA's Dawn spacecraft data and computer models, researchers found that water ice mixed with salt sublimates faster, leaving behind concentrated salt deposits. Landslides expose fresh ice, accelerating this process and creating the bright spots observed. The findings resolve a paradox about salt-rich deposits, indicating they likely start with low salt content and become enriched over time through evaporation, rather than forming initially salt-rich.