DETECTION OF WATER AND/OR HYDROXYL ON ASTEROID (16) Psyche
- U.S. Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States)
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 E Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States)
- Department of Geography and Geosciences, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, 400 E. Second Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815 (United States)
In order to search for evidence of hydration on M-type asteroid (16) Psyche, we observed this object in the 3 μ m spectral region using the long-wavelength cross-dispersed (LXD: 1.9–4.2 μ m) mode of the SpeX spectrograph/imager at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. Our observations show that Psyche exhibits a 3 μ m absorption feature, attributed to water or hydroxyl. The 3 μ m absorption feature is consistent with the hydration features found on the surfaces of water-rich asteroids, attributed to OH- and/or H{sub 2}O-bearing phases (phyllosilicates). The detection of a 3 μ m hydration absorption band on Psyche suggests that this asteroid may not be a metallic core, or it could be a metallic core that has been impacted by carbonaceous material over the past 4.5 Gyr. Our results also indicate rotational spectral variations, which we suggest reflect heterogeneity in the metal/silicate ratio on the surface of Psyche.
- OSTI ID:
- 22664049
- Journal Information:
- Astronomical Journal (Online), Vol. 153, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1538-3881
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
NEAR-INFRARED OBSERVATIONS OF COMET-LIKE ASTEROID (596) SCHEILA
Understanding Asteroid 16 Psyche’s composition through 3D impact crater modeling