TY  - JOUR
T1  - (16) Psyche: A mesosiderite-like asteroid?
A1  - Viikinkoski, M.
A1  - Vernazza, P.
A1  - Hanuš, J.
A1  - Le Coroller, H.
A1  - Tazhenova, K.
A1  - Carry, B.
A1  - Marsset, M.
A1  - Drouard, A.
A1  - Marchis, F.
A1  - Fetick, R.
A1  - Fusco, T.
A1  - Ďurech, J.
A1  - Birlan, M.
A1  - Berthier, J.
A1  - Bartczak, P.
A1  - Dumas, C.
A1  - Castillo-Rogez, J.
A1  - Cipriani, F.
A1  - Colas, F.
A1  - Ferrais, M.
A1  - Grice, J.
A1  - Jehin, E.
A1  - Jorda, L.
A1  - Kaasalainen, M.
A1  - Kryszczynska, A.
A1  - Lamy, P.
A1  - Marciniak, A.
A1  - Michalowski, T.
A1  - Michel, P.
A1  - Pajuelo, M.
A1  - Podlewska-Gaca, E.
A1  - Santana-Ros, T.
A1  - Tanga, P.
A1  - Vachier, F.
A1  - Vigan, A.
A1  - Warner, B.
A1  - Witasse, O.
A1  - Yang, B.
JA  - Astronomy and Astrophysics
Y1  - 2018
VL  - 619
SP  - L3
SN  - 0004-6361
UR  - https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018A&A...619L...3V
KW  - asteroids: general
KW  - asteroids: individual: (16) Psyche
KW  - Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
KW  - methods: observational
KW  - minor planets
KW  - techniques: high angular resolution
N2  - Context. Asteroid (16) Psyche is the target of the NASA Psyche mission.
M1  - ={It is considered one of the few main-belt bodies that could be an
M1  -  exposed proto-planetary metallic core and that would thus be related to
M1  -  iron meteorites. Such an association is however challenged by both its
M1  -  near- and mid-infrared spectral properties and the reported estimates of
M1  -  its density. <BR /> Aims: Here
M1  -  we aim to refine the density of (16)
M1  -  Psyche to set further constraints on its bulk composition and determine
M1  -  its potential meteoritic analog. <BR /> Methods: We observed (16) Psyche
M1  -  with ESO VLT/SPHERE/ZIMPOL as part of our large program (ID 199.C-0074).
M1  -  We used the high angular resolution of these observations to refine
M1  -  Psyche's three-dimensional (3D) shape model and subsequently its density
M1  -  when combined with the most recent mass estimates. In addition
M1  -  we
M1  -  searched for potential companions around the asteroid. <BR /> Results:
M1  -  We derived a bulk density of 3.99 ± 0.26 g cm<SUP>-3</SUP> for Psyche.
M1  -  While such density is incompatible at the 3-sigma level with any iron
M1  -  meteorites (̃7.8 g cm<SUP>-3</SUP>)
M1  -  it appears fully consistent with
M1  -  that of stony-iron meteorites such as mesosiderites (density ̃4.25 g
M1  -  cm<SUP>-3</SUP>). In addition
M1  -  we found no satellite in our images and
M1  -  set an upper limit on the diameter of any non-detected satellite of 1460
M1  -  ± 200 m at 150 km from Psyche (0.2% × R<SUB>Hill</SUB>
M1  -  the Hill radius)
M1  -  and 800 ± 200 m at 2000 km (3% × R<SUB>Hill</SUB>). <BR /> Conclusions:
M1  -  Considering that the visible and near-infrared spectral properties of
M1  -  mesosiderites are similar to those of Psyche
M1  -  there is merit to a long-
M1  -  published initial hypothesis that Psyche could be a plausible candidate
M1  -  parent body for mesosiderites. <P />Based on observations made with 1)
M1  -  ESO Telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under programs
M1  -  086.C-0785 (PI Carry) and 199.C-0074 (PI Vernazza); and 2) the W. M.
M1  -  Keck Observatory
M1  -  which is operated as a scientific partnership among
M1  -  the California Institute of Technology
M1  -  the University of California and
M1  -  the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was
M1  -  made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck
M1  -  Foundation.Tables A1 and A2 and reduced images are only available at the
M1  -  CDS via anonymous ftp to <A
M1  -  href="http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/">http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr</A>
M1  -  (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via <A href="http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-
M1  -  bin/qcat?J/A+A/619/L3">http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-
M1  -  bin/qcat?J/A+A/619/L3</A>
M1  -  10.1051/0004-6361/201834091
M1  -  eprint: arXiv:1810.02771}
ER  -