Water found on asteroid Psyche: Scientists find evidence of hydration

Recently, a notable discovery was made on the asteroid Psyche, where evidence of hydration was detected using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.

The study, led by a team from the Southwest Research Institute, confirmed the presence of hydroxyl molecules on the surface of the metallic asteroid Psyche. The discovery has sparked interest in the asteroid’s history, especially since it orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter.

At 140 miles in diameter, Psyche is one of the largest space rocks in the main asteroid belt. It is a dense, mostly metallic object thought to be the exposed remnant of a planetary core after a catastrophic collision.

NASA launched the Psyche spacecraft on October 13, 2023, which is expected to travel 2.2 billion miles and reach the asteroid in August 2029.

“By using telescopes that observe different wavelengths of infrared light, the SwRI-led study will provide diverse but complementary information to the Psyche spacecraft’s studies,” said Dr. Tracy Becker, second author of the study published in the Planetary Science Journal.

Lead author Dr Stephanie Jammack stressed the importance of the discovery, saying: “Our understanding of the evolution of the Solar System is closely tied to the interpretation of the composition of asteroids, especially M-class asteroids, which have high concentrations of metallicity. These asteroids were once thought to be the exposed cores of differentiated planets, a theory based on their spectral similarities to iron meteorites.”

The James Webb Telescope data not only indicates the presence of hydroxyl groups on Psyche’s surface, but also hints at the possible presence of water. These hydrated minerals could have come from an external source, such as an impactor. However, if the hydration is intrinsic to Psyche, then it could imply a different evolutionary history than current models suggest.

Co-author Dr. Anicia Arredondo explained: “Asteroids are remnants of the planet formation process and their composition varies depending on where they formed in the solar nebula. If the hydration is endogenous, it could indicate that Psyche is not the remnant core of a protoplanet. Instead, it could indicate that Psyche formed outside the ‘snow line’, where the temperature of the protoplanetary disk was low enough for volatile compounds to condense into solids and then migrate to their current location in the outer main belt.”