Early solar wind and dynamo magnetic field topology predictions for (16) Psyche and other asteroids

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Anand, Atma, Carroll-Nellenback, Jonathan, Blackman, Eric G., Tarduno, John A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Anand, Atma
Carroll-Nellenback, Jonathan
Blackman, Eric G.
Tarduno, John A.
author_facet Anand, Atma
Carroll-Nellenback, Jonathan
Blackman, Eric G.
Tarduno, John A.
contents Asteroid (16) Psyche is a metal-rich body that might record an ancient coherent magnetization if some relict crust or mantle is preserved. Herein, we use magnetohydrodynamic simulations to predict (16) Psyche's field topology for several distinct pathways, (i) an early solar wind-induced magnetization imparted after a larger body was impacted, forming the present-day asteroid, (ii) a core dynamo magnetization imparted in an asteroid that is either presently largely intact or was a rubble pile, and (iii) magnetization in the turbulent solar nebula disk. For pathway (i) we find the field to be predominantly dipolar and spin axis-aligned. For pathway (ii) we find the field to be either dipolar and spin axis-misaligned, or highly multipolar. We also find that (iii) a field produced earlier before the solar nebula cleared, would be highly multipolar. In cases (i) and (ii) we also place constraints on the field strength. Simple detection of a magnetic field without constraining its topology and temporal variability would be insufficient to confirm a remanent source, due to the influence of the present-day solar wind, electromagnetic induction, and (16) Psyche's high obliquity. For sufficiently strong fields however, the field topology and orientation may reveal key observable consequences of the nature and history of (16) Psyche. Our framework is also broadly applicable to the study of magnetic fields from other asteroids.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_17311
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Early solar wind and dynamo magnetic field topology predictions for (16) Psyche and other asteroids
Anand, Atma
Carroll-Nellenback, Jonathan
Blackman, Eric G.
Tarduno, John A.
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Geophysics
Space Physics
Asteroid (16) Psyche is a metal-rich body that might record an ancient coherent magnetization if some relict crust or mantle is preserved. Herein, we use magnetohydrodynamic simulations to predict (16) Psyche's field topology for several distinct pathways, (i) an early solar wind-induced magnetization imparted after a larger body was impacted, forming the present-day asteroid, (ii) a core dynamo magnetization imparted in an asteroid that is either presently largely intact or was a rubble pile, and (iii) magnetization in the turbulent solar nebula disk. For pathway (i) we find the field to be predominantly dipolar and spin axis-aligned. For pathway (ii) we find the field to be either dipolar and spin axis-misaligned, or highly multipolar. We also find that (iii) a field produced earlier before the solar nebula cleared, would be highly multipolar. In cases (i) and (ii) we also place constraints on the field strength. Simple detection of a magnetic field without constraining its topology and temporal variability would be insufficient to confirm a remanent source, due to the influence of the present-day solar wind, electromagnetic induction, and (16) Psyche's high obliquity. For sufficiently strong fields however, the field topology and orientation may reveal key observable consequences of the nature and history of (16) Psyche. Our framework is also broadly applicable to the study of magnetic fields from other asteroids.
title Early solar wind and dynamo magnetic field topology predictions for (16) Psyche and other asteroids
topic Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Geophysics
Space Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.17311