Watery Asteroid Psyche Displays Unexpected Sogginess
Title: A Space Mystery Unravels: Hydroxyl and Water on Psyche Asteroid
Get ready for some celestial sleuthing! In just a few years, NASA's Psyche mission will touch down on the mysterious Psyche asteroid, and it might find this iron and nickel-rich giant coated in a rust-like substance. Previous observations have hinted at an unexpected twist - the asteroid, measuring a whopping 225 kilometers in diameter and 2.2 billion miles from Earth, doesn't reflect light as expected and may not be as dense as it should be for a largely metallic object.
To crack this cosmic enigma, scientists have turned to the James Webb Space Telescope, peering deep into Psyche using its infrared instruments. A new study published in the pre-print stage of the American Astronomical Society's Planetary Science Journal suggests the unusual reflection could be due to the presence of hydroxyl, a group of chemicals just one hydrogen atom away from becoming water. As we all know, mixed with iron, hydroxyl forms rust. The data also points to the tantalizing possibility of water on Psyche's surface.
Originally, scientists hypothesized that Psyche could be the remnant of a planetesimal - an early building block of planets. But the discovery of hydroxyl and water casts doubt on this theory. As planetary physicist Anicia Arredondo, a co-author of the study, puts it in her statement, "Hydration that is endogenous [internally sourced] could suggest that Psyche is not the remnant core of a protoplanet. Instead, it could suggest that Psyche originated beyond the 'snow line,' the minimum distance from the Sun where conditions allowed for volatile compounds to form solids before migrating to the asteroid belt."
However, it's still unclear whether the hydroxyl and water on Psyche are native to the asteroid or if they were brought in by impacts from other celestial bodies. But one thing's for certain: the investigation is far from over.
NASA is already planning to send its own spacecraft, named Psyche, to the asteroid in October 2023. Once there, the Psyche probe will embark on an extensive exploration of its namesake target. Its mission will aim to find evidence of an ancient magnetic field, determine the chemical and mineral composition of the asteroid, and help us understand how terrestrial planets like Earth form during their infancy.
According to Stephanie Jarmak, a physicist at the Harvard & Smithsonian's Center for Astrophysics who led the research, "Our understanding of solar system evolution is closely tied to interpretations of asteroid composition, particularly the M-class asteroids that contain higher concentrations of metal."
When the Psyche spacecraft arrives at its destination in August 2029, it will put these theories to the test, shedding light on one of the solar system's most enigmatic fledglings. Who knows what secrets Psyche holds? The journey to discovery begins now!
- The presence of hydroxyl, a chemical group close to becoming water, might be responsible for the unusual reflection of Psyche asteroid, as suggested by a recent study published in the pre-print stage of the American Astronomical Society's Planetary Science Journal.
- The discovery of hydroxyl and water on Psyche casts doubt on the theory that it could be the remnant of a planetesimal, instead suggesting that Psyche could have originated beyond the 'snow line.'
- The extensive exploration of Psyche asteroid by NASA's Psyche spacecraft, scheduled to arrive in August 2029, will aim to determine the chemical and mineral composition of the asteroid, providing insights into how terrestrial planets like Earth form during their infancy.
- With the Psyche mission set to unveil the secrets of the asteroid in October 2023 and the Psyche spacecraft arriving in 2029, the investigation into the enigmatic Psyche asteroid is far from over, potentially revealing more about the solar system's early composition and evolution.
