Peppered by Mars neutrons<\/p>\n
The gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, which will help scientists determine the chemical elements that make up the asteroid\u2019s surface material, got a real workout during the flyby. As high-energy cosmic rays<\/a> bombard a planetary body, the elements on the surface absorb the energy, emitting neutrons and gamma rays of varying energy levels. By measuring these emissions, scientists can match them to properties of known elements to determine what the body is made of.<\/p>\n While the flyby altitude of 2,864 miles (4,609 kilometers) was too far away to measure gamma rays from Mars, hopes were high that neutrons escaping the planet\u2019s surface and atmosphere could be detected.<\/p>\n \u201cAround the time of Mars closest approach, the neutron spectrometer detected a count-rate enhancement close to what we anticipated. It was very gratifying to see,\u201d said David Lawrence, the science lead for Psyche\u2019s spectrometer at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. \u201cAs expected, we didn\u2019t detect gamma rays from Mars, but we put the instrument through its paces, and it performed excellently.\u201d<\/p>\n Magnetic Mars<\/p>\n Like the gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, the mission\u2019s magnetometer<\/a> has been operating since the spacecraft\u2019s journey began with its 2023 launch. Designed to measure the asteroid Psyche\u2019s magnetic field, the instrument will help the mission test the idea that the object is the metallic core of a planetesimal \u2014 a building block of a rocky planet.<\/p>\n