Evidence of Water Discovered on Asteroid Psyche

Scientists from the Southwest Research Institute have used data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to detect hydroxyl molecules on the surface of the metallic asteroid Psyche. This finding indicates the presence of hydrated minerals, suggesting that Psyche has a complex history, which will be crucial for the upcoming NASA spacecraft mission to this asteroid, orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.

Psyche, with a diameter of about 140 miles, is one of the most massive objects in the main asteroid belt. Previous observations have identified it as a dense, largely metallic object, possibly the core of a planet that suffered a catastrophic collision. NASA's Psyche spacecraft, launched on October 13, 2023, is set to journey 2.2 billion miles and reach the asteroid by August 2029.

The new research, detailed in the Planetary Science Journal, utilized telescopes that observe different infrared wavelengths to complement the spacecraft's findings. According to Dr. Tracy Becker of SwRI, this data provides valuable insights into asteroid composition and evolution.

Dr. Stephanie Jarmak from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian points out that understanding M-class asteroids, which contain high metal concentrations, is key to deciphering solar system evolution. These asteroids were once thought to be the exposed cores of differentiated planetesimals, similar to iron meteorites.

The Webb data reveals that Psyche's surface might contain both hydroxyl and water. This could mean that the hydration observed is either from external impacts or originates from Psyche itself, suggesting it might have a different evolutionary path than currently thought. The findings indicate a heterogeneous distribution of hydrated minerals, possibly due to impacts from carbonaceous chondrite asteroids, which are highly hydrated.

Understanding asteroid compositions helps us grasp how materials in the solar nebula were distributed and evolved. Insights into water distribution on Psyche could inform our knowledge of water in other solar systems and guide the search for potential life, both within our solar system and beyond.