157 research outputs found
Rotational properties of the binary and non-binary populations in the Trans-Neptunian belt
We present results for the short-term variability of Binary Trans-Neptunian
Objects (BTNOs). We performed CCD photometric observations using the 3.58 m
Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, the 1.5 m Sierra Nevada Observatory telescope,
and the 1.23 m Centro Astronomico Hispano Aleman telescope at Calar Alto
Observatory. We present results based on five years of observations and report
the short-term variability of six BTNOs. Our sample contains three classical
objects: 2003MW12, or Varda, 2004SB60, or Salacia, and 2002 VT130; one detached
disk object: 2007UK126; and two resonant objects: 2007TY430 and 2000EB173, or
Huya. For each target, possible rotational periods and/or photometric
amplitudes are reported. We also derived some physical properties from their
lightcurves, such as density, primary and secondary sizes, and albedo. We
compiled and analyzed a vast lightcurve database for Trans-Neptunian Objects
(TNOs) including centaurs to determine the lightcurve amplitude and spin
frequency distributions for the binary and non-binary populations. The mean
rotational periods, from the Maxwellian fits to the frequency distributions,
are 8.63+/-0.52 h for the entire sample, 8.37+/-0.58 h for the sample without
the binary population, and 10.11+/-1.19 h for the binary population alone.
Because the centaurs are collisionally more evolved, their rotational periods
might not be so primordial. We computed a mean rotational period, from the
Maxwellian fit, of 8.86+/-0.58 h for the sample without the centaur population,
and of 8.64+/-0.67 h considering a sample without the binary and the centaur
populations. According to this analysis, regular TNOs spin faster than
binaries, which is compatible with the tidal interaction of the binaries.
Finally, we examined possible formation models for several systems studied in
this work and by our team in previous papers.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics (June 26th,
2014); minor changes with published version; 21 pages, 17 figures, 7 table
Rotational properties of the Haumea family members and candidates: Short-term variability
Haumea is one of the most interesting and intriguing transneptunian objects
(TNOs). It is a large, bright, fast rotator, and its spectrum indicates nearly
pure water ice on the surface. It has at least two satellites and a dynamically
related family of more than ten TNOs with very similar proper orbital
parameters and similar surface properties. The Haumean family is the only one
currently known in the transneptunian belt. Various models have been proposed
but the formation of the family remains poorly understood. In this work, we
have investigated the rotational properties of the family members and
unconfirmed family candidates with short-term variability studies, and report
the most complete review to date. We present results based on five years of
observations and report the short-term variability of five family members, and
seven candidates. The mean rotational periods, from Maxwellian fits to the
frequency distributions, are 6.27+/-1.19 h for the confirmed family members,
6.44+/-1.16 h for the candidates, and 7.65+/-0.54 h for other TNOs (without
relation to the family). According to our study, there is a suggestion that
Haumea family members rotate faster than other TNOs, however, the sample of
family member is still too limited for a secure conclusion. We also highlight
the fast rotation of 2002 GH32. This object has a 0.36+/-0.02 mag amplitude
lightcurve and a rotational period of about 3.98 h. Assuming 2002 GH32 is a
triaxial object in hydrostatic equilibrium, we derive a lower limit to the
density of 2.56 g cm^-3. This density is similar to Haumea's and much more
dense than other small TNO densities.Comment: Accepted for publication, A
Possible ring material around centaur (2060) Chiron
We propose that several short duration events observed in past stellar
occultations by Chiron were produced by rings material. From a reanalysis of
the stellar occultation data in the literature we determined two possible
orientations of the pole of Chiron's rings, with ecliptic coordinates
l=(352+/-10) deg, b=(37+/-10) deg or l=(144+/-10) deg, b=(24+/-10) deg . The
mean radius of the rings is (324 +/- 10) km. One can use the rotational
lightcurve amplitude of Chiron at different epochs to distinguish between the
two solutions for the pole. Both imply lower lightcurve amplitude in 2013 than
in 1988, when the rotational lightcurve was first determined. We derived
Chiron's rotational lightcurve in 2013 from observations at the 1.23-m CAHA
telescope and indeed its amplitude is smaller than in 1988. We also present a
rotational lightcurve in 2000 from images taken at CASLEO 2.15-m telescope that
is consistent with our predictions. Out of the two poles the l=(144+/-10) deg,
b=(24+/-10) deg solution provides a better match to a compilation of rotational
lightcurve amplitudes from the literature and those presented here. We also
show that using this preferred pole, Chiron's long term brightness variations
are compatible with a simple model that incorporates the changing brightness of
the rings as the tilt angle with respect to the Earth changes with time. Also,
the variability of the water ice band in Chiron's spectra in the literature can
be explained to a large degree by an icy ring system whose tilt angle changes
with time and whose composition includes water ice, analogously to the case of
Chariklo. We present several possible formation scenarios for the rings from
qualitative points of view and speculate on the reasons why rings might be
common in centaurs. We speculate on whether the known bimodal color
distribution of centaurs could be due to presence of rings and lack of them
Ground-based Characterization of Hayabusa2 Mission Target Asteroid 162173 Ryugu: Constraining Mineralogical Composition in Preparation for Spacecraft Operations
Asteroids that are targets of spacecraft missions are interesting because
they present us with an opportunity to validate ground-based spectral
observations. One such object is near-Earth asteroid (NEA) (162173) Ryugu,
which is the target of the Japanese Space Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa2 sample
return mission. We observed Ryugu using the 3-m NASA Infrared Telescope
Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, on July 13, 2016 to constrain the
object's surface composition, meteorite analogs, and link to other asteroids in
the main belt and NEA populations. We also modeled its photometric properties
using archival data. Using the Lommel-Seeliger model we computed the predicted
flux for Ryugu at a wide range of viewing geometries as well as albedo
quantities such as geometric albedo, phase integral, and spherical Bond albedo.
Our computed albedo quantities are consistent with results from Ishiguro et al.
(2014). Our spectral analysis has found a near-perfect match between our
spectrum of Ryugu and those of NEA (85275) 1994 LY and Mars-crossing asteroid
(316720) 1998 BE7, suggesting that their surface regoliths have similar
composition. We compared Ryugu's spectrum with that of main belt asteroid (302)
Clarissa, the largest asteroid in the Clarissa asteroid family, suggested as a
possible source of Ryugu by Campins et al. (2013). We found that the spectrum
of Clarissa shows significant differences with our spectrum of Ryugu, but it is
similar to the spectrum obtained by Moskovitz et al. (2013). The best possible
meteorite analogs for our spectrum of Ryugu are two CM2 carbonaceous
chondrites, Mighei and ALH83100.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables, accepted in Monthly Notices of the
Royal Astronomical Society Main Journa
The 2016 Reactivations of Main-Belt Comets 238P/Read and 288P/(300163) 2006 VW139
We report observations of the reactivations of main-belt comets 238P/Read and
288P/(300163) 2006 VW139, that also track the evolution of each object's
activity over several months in 2016 and 2017. We additionally identify and
analyze archival SDSS data showing 288P to be active in 2000, meaning that both
238P and 288P have now each been confirmed to be active near perihelion on
three separate occasions. From data obtained of 288P from 2012-2015 when it
appeared inactive, we find best-fit R-band H,G phase function parameters of
H_R=16.80+/-0.12 mag and G_R=0.18+/-0.11, corresponding to effective component
radii of r_c=0.80+/-0.04 km, assuming a binary system with equally-sized
components. Fitting linear functions to ejected dust masses inferred for 238P
and 288P soon after their observed reactivations in 2016, we find an initial
average net dust production rate of 0.7+/-0.3 kg/s and a best-fit start date of
2016 March 11 (when the object was at a true anomaly of -63 deg) for 238P, and
an initial average net dust production rate of 5.6+/-0.7 kg/s and a best-fit
start date of 2016 August 5 (when the object was at a true anomaly of -27 deg)
for 288P. Applying similar analyses to archival data, we find similar start
points for previous active episodes for both objects, suggesting that minimal
mantle growth or ice recession occurred between the active episodes in
question. Some changes in dust production rates between active episodes are
detected, however. More detailed dust modeling is suggested to further clarify
the process of activity evolution in main-belt comets.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures, accepted by A
A mid-term astrometric and photometric study of Trans-Neptunian Object (90482) Orcus
From CCD observations of a fixed and large star field that contained the
binary TNO Orcus, we have been able to derive high-precision relative
astrometry and photometry of the Orcus system with respect to background stars.
The RA residuals of an orbital fit to the astrometric data revealed a
periodicity of 9.7+-0.3 days, which is what one would expect to be induced by
the known Orcus companion. The residuals are also correlated with the
theoretical positions of the satellite with regard to the primary. We therefore
have revealed the presence of Orcus' satellite in our astrometric measurements.
The photocenter motion is much larger than the motion of Orcus around the
barycenter, and we show here that detecting some binaries through a carefully
devised astrometric technique might be feasible with telescopes of moderate
size. We also analyzed the system's mid-term photometry to determine whether
the rotation could be tidally locked to the satellite's orbital period. We
found that a photometric variability of 9.7+-0.3 days is clear in our data, and
is nearly coincident with the orbital period of the satellite. We believe this
variability might be induced by the satellite's rotation. There is also a
slight hint for an additional small variability in the 10 hr range that was
already reported in the literature. This short-term variability would indicate
that the primary is not tidally locked and therefore the system would not have
reached a double synchronous state. Implications for the basic physical
properties of the primary and its satellite are discussed. From angular
momentum considerations we suspect that the Orcus satellite might have formed
from a rotational fission. This requires that the mass of the satellite would
be around 0.09 times that of the primary, close to the value that one derives
by using an albedo of 0.12 for the satellite and assuming equal densities for
both objects.Comment: in Press at A&
The Mission Accessible Near-Earth Objects Survey: Four years of photometry
Over 4.5 years, the Mission Accessible Near-Earth Object Survey (MANOS)
assembled 228 Near-Earth Object (NEO) lightcurves. We report rotational
lightcurves for 82 NEOs, constraints on amplitudes and periods for 21 NEOs,
lightcurves with no detected variability within the image signal to noise and
length of our observing block for 30 NEOs, and 10 tumblers. We uncovered 2
ultra-rapid rotators with periods below 20s; 2016MA with a potential rotational
periodicity of 18.4s, and 2017QG rotating in 11.9s, and estimate the
fraction of fast/ultra-rapid rotators undetected in our project plus the
percentage of NEOs with a moderate/long periodicity undetectable during our
typical observing blocks. We summarize the findings of a simple model of
synthetic NEOs to infer the object morphologies distribution using the measured
distribution of lightcurve amplitudes. This model suggests a uniform
distribution of axis ratio can reproduce the observed sample. This suggests
that the quantity of spherical NEOs (e.g., Bennu) is almost equivalent to the
quantity of highly elongated objects (e.g., Itokawa), a result that can be
directly tested thanks to shape models from Doppler delay radar imaging
analysis. Finally, we fully characterized 2 NEOs as appropriate targets for a
potential robotic/human mission: 2013YS and 2014FA due to their
moderate spin periods and low .Comment: Accepted for Publication, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Serie
"TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region X. Analysis of classical Kuiper belt objects from Herschel and Spitzer observations
The classical Kuiper belt contains objects both from a low-inclination,
presumably primordial, distribution and from a high-inclination dynamically
excited population. Based on a sample of classical TNOs with observations at
thermal wavelengths we determine radiometric sizes, geometric albedos and
thermal beaming factors as well as study sample properties of dynamically hot
and cold classicals. Observations near the thermal peak of TNOs using infra-red
space telescopes are combined with optical magnitudes using the radiometric
technique with near-Earth asteroid thermal model (NEATM). We have determined
three-band flux densities from Herschel/PACS observations at 70.0, 100.0 and
160.0 m and Spitzer/MIPS at 23.68 and 71.42 m when available. We have
analysed 18 classical TNOs with previously unpublished data and re-analysed
previously published targets with updated data reduction to determine their
sizes and geometric albedos as well as beaming factors when data quality
allows. We have combined these samples with classical TNOs with radiometric
results in the literature for the analysis of sample properties of a total of
44 objects. We find a median geometric albedo for cold classical TNOs of 0.14
and for dynamically hot classical TNOs, excluding the Haumea family and dwarf
planets, 0.085. We have determined the bulk densities of Borasisi-Pabu (2.1
g/cm^3), Varda-Ilmare (1.25 g/cm^3) and 2001 QC298 (1.14 g/cm^3) as well as
updated previous density estimates of four targets. We have determined the
slope parameter of the debiased cumulative size distribution of dynamically hot
classical TNOs as q=2.3 +- 0.1 in the diameter range 100<D<500 km. For
dynamically cold classical TNOs we determine q=5.1 +- 1.1 in the diameter range
160<D<280 km as the cold classical TNOs have a smaller maximum size.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures Accepted to be published in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
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