A team from the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory has created simulations to better understand Psyche’s interior by studying the formation of a large crater near its north pole. Their research, published in JGR Planets, suggests that craters can reveal key information about the asteroid’s composition.
The study found that Psyche’s internal porosity, the amount of empty space within it, plays a crucial role in how craters form. Asteroids with more voids absorb impact energy differently, creating deeper, steeper craters with less debris scattered around.
This finding is important as it could help scientists interpret the data NASA’s spacecraft will collect, including whether Psyche has distinct layers of rock and metal or is a chaotic mixture of materials.
Scientists also modeled an impact on Psyche using a 3D shape model and found that a 3-mile wide impactor could create the type of crater seen on the asteroid. This result could indicate whether Psyche’s interior is made up of a metallic core surrounded by a thin rocky mantle, or a mixture of metal and rock.
The upcoming NASA Psyche mission will analyze Psyche’s surface, gravity, magnetic field, and composition to confirm these predictions. With these simulations, scientists are hopeful that the spacecraft will uncover whether Psyche holds the secrets of a lost planet’s core.
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