Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scientists have identified hydroxyls—a component of water—on the surface of asteroid Psyche. This discovery hints at the presence of rust and provides new insights into the asteroid’s complex composition and history.
Asteroid 16 Psyche, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, spans 173 miles (280 km) at its widest. Initially thought to be entirely metallic, its shiny surface led researchers to believe it could be the iron-rich core of a planetesimal, offering potential insights into planetary formation processes.
Estimates of Psyche’s metal components suggest a staggering value of $100,000 quadrillion, highlighting its importance not only for scientific study but also for future space mining considerations.
Recent observations challenge the idea of Psyche being purely metallic. Its density and reflectance spectra indicate a mix of silicate and metal. Infrared analyses conducted over the last decade also revealed traces of hydroxyl units, components of water, though earlier findings were inconclusive due to potential atmospheric contamination.
In March 2023, JWST’s instruments—NIRSpec and MIRI—were directed at Psyche’s north pole. The captured spectra confirmed the presence of hydroxyls bonded to metals, a combination consistent with rust-bearing meteorites. This suggests Psyche’s surface might host rust-forming materials.
While JWST detected hydroxyls, conclusive evidence of water remains elusive. Water could exist in areas not observed by JWST or in concentrations too low for detection, potentially less than half the amount found on the Moon.
The presence of hydroxyls may indicate that Psyche formed in the cold outer solar system and later migrated inward. Alternatively, the asteroid’s current composition might result from collisions with water-bearing objects.
Upcoming studies aim to map Psyche’s hydrated metal distribution, focusing on its unexplored regions, including a large crater on its south pole. These findings will deepen understanding of Psyche’s composition and its potential for space mining and planetary science.