minor planets; asteroids: general; asteroids: individual: (16) Psyche; methods: observational; techniques: high angular resolution
Abstract :
[en] Context. Asteroid (16) Psyche is the target of the NASA Psyche mission. It is considered one of the few main-belt bodies that could be an exposed proto-planetary metallic core and that would thus be related to iron meteorites. Such an association is however challenged by both its near- and mid-infrared spectral properties and the reported estimates of its density. <BR /> Aims: Here, we aim to refine the density of (16) Psyche to set further constraints on its bulk composition and determine its potential meteoritic analog. <BR /> Methods: We observed (16) Psyche with ESO VLT/SPHERE/ZIMPOL as part of our large program (ID 199.C-0074). We used the high angular resolution of these observations to refine Psyche's three-dimensional (3D) shape model and subsequently its density when combined with the most recent mass estimates. In addition, we searched for potential companions around the asteroid. <BR /> Results: We derived a bulk density of 3.99 ± 0.26 g cm[SUP]-3[/SUP] for Psyche. While such density is incompatible at the 3-sigma level with any iron meteorites (˜7.8 g cm[SUP]-3[/SUP]), it appears fully consistent with that of stony-iron meteorites such as mesosiderites (density ˜4.25 g cm[SUP]-3[/SUP]). In addition, we found no satellite in our images and set an upper limit on the diameter of any non-detected satellite of 1460 ± 200 m at 150 km from Psyche (0.2% × R[SUB]Hill[/SUB], the Hill radius) and 800 ± 200 m at 2000 km (3% × R[SUB]Hill[/SUB]). <BR /> Conclusions: Considering that the visible and near-infrared spectral properties of mesosiderites are similar to those of Psyche, there is merit to a long-published initial hypothesis that Psyche could be a plausible candidate parent body for mesosiderites. Based on observations made with 1) ESO Telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under programs 086.C-0785 (PI Carry) and 199.C-0074 (PI Vernazza); and 2) the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.Tables A1 and A2 and reduced images are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to <A href="http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/">http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr</A> (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via <A href="http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/619/L3">http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/619/L3</A>
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Viikinkoski, Matti; Laboratory of Mathematics, Tampere University of Technology, PO Box 553, 33101, Tampere, Finland
Vernazza, Pierre; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Hanuš, Josef; Astronomical Institute, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovičkách 2, 18000, Prague, Czech Republic
Le Coroller, H.; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Tazhenova, K.; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Carry, B.; Université Côte d'Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, France
Marsset, M.; Astrophysics Research Centre, Queen's University Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
Drouard, Alexis; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Marchis, F.; SETI Institute, Carl Sagan Center, 189 Bernado Avenue, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA
Fetick, R.; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Fusco, T.; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Ďurech, J.; Astronomical Institute, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovičkách 2, 18000, Prague, Czech Republic
Birlan, M.; IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Univ., Lille, France
Berthier, J.; IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Univ., Lille, France
Bartczak, P.; Astronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Sloneczna 36, 60-286, Poznan, Poland
Dumas, C.; Thirty-Meter-Telescope, 100 West Walnut St, Suite 300, Pasadena, CA, 91124, USA
Castillo-Rogez, J.; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
Cipriani, F.; European Space Agency, ESTEC - Scientific Support Office, Keplerlaan 1, Noordwijk, 2200 AG, The Netherlands
Colas, F.; IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Univ., Lille, France
Ferrais, Marin ; Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research Institute, Université de Liège, Allée du 6 Août 17, 4000, Liège, Belgium
Grice, J.; Université Côte d'Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, France ; Open University, School of Physical Sciences, The Open University, MK7 6AA, UK
Jehin, Emmanuel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Origines Cosmologiques et Astrophysiques (OrCa)
Jorda, Laurent; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Kaasalainen, M.; Laboratory of Mathematics, Tampere University of Technology, PO Box 553, 33101, Tampere, Finland
Kryszczynska, A.; Astronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Sloneczna 36, 60-286, Poznan, Poland
Lamy, P.; Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux et Observations Spatiales, CNRS & Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Guyancourt, France
Marciniak, A.; Astronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Sloneczna 36, 60-286, Poznan, Poland
Michalowski, T.; Astronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Sloneczna 36, 60-286, Poznan, Poland
Pajuelo, M.; IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Univ., Lille, France ; Sección Física, Departamento de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Apartado, 1761, Lima, Perú
Podlewska-Gaca, Edyta; Astronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Sloneczna 36, 60-286, Poznan, Poland ; Institute of Physics, University of Szczecin, Wielkopolska 15, 70-453, Szczecin, Poland
Santana-Ros, T.; Astronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Sloneczna 36, 60-286, Poznan, Poland
Tanga, P.; Université Côte d'Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, France
Vachier, F.; IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Univ., Lille, France
Vigan, A.; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LAM, Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Marseille, France
Warner, B.; Center for Solar System Studies, 446 Sycamore Ave., Eaton, CO, 80615, USA
Witasse, O.; European Space Agency, ESTEC - Scientific Support Office, Keplerlaan 1, Noordwijk, 2200 AG, The Netherlands
Yang, B.; European Southern Observatory (ESO), Alonso de Cordova 3107, 1900, Casilla Vitacura, Santiago, Chile)
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