Pervasive aqueous alteration in the early Solar System revealed by potassium isotopic variations in Ryugu samples and carbonaceous chondrites

C-type asteroids are the presumed home to carbonaceous chondrites, some of which contain abundant life forming volatiles and organics. For the first time, samples from a C-type asteroid (162173 Ryugu) were successfully returned to Earth by JAXA's Hayabusa2 mission. These pristine samples, uncontaminated by the terrestrial environment, allow a direct comparison with carbonaceous chondrites. This study reports the stable K isotopic compositions (expressed as 841K) of Ryugu samples and seven carbonaceous chondrites to constrain the origin of K isotopic variations in the early Solar System. Three aliquots of Ryugu particles collected at two touchdown sites have identical 841K values, averaged at-0.194 +/- 0.038%o (2SD). The K isotopic composition of Ryugu falls within the range of 841K values measured on representative CI chondrites, and together, they define an average 841K value of-0.185 +/- 0.078%o (2SE), which provides the current best estimate of the K isotopic composition of the bulk Solar System. Samples of CI chondrites with 841K values that deviate from this range likely reflect terrestrial contaminations or compositional heterogeneities at sampled sizes. In addition to CI chondrites, substantial K isotopic variability is observed in other carbonaceous chondrites and within individual chondritic groups, with 841K values inversely correlated with K abundances in many cases. These observations indicate widespread fluid activity occurred in chondrite parent bodies, which significantly altered the original K abundances and isotopic compositions of chondrules and matrices established at their accretion.