458 research outputs found
Linear spectro-polarimetry: a new diagnostic tool for the classification and characterisation of asteroids
We explore the use of spectro-polarimetry as a remote sensing tool for
asteroids in addition to traditional reflectance measurements. In particular we
are interested in possible relationships between the wavelength-dependent
variation of linear polarization and the properties of the surfaces, including
albedo and composition.
We have obtained optical spectro-polarimetric measurements of a dozen
asteroids of different albedo and taxonomic classes and of two small regions at
the limb of the Moon.
We found that objects with marginally different relative reflectance spectra
(in the optical) may have totally different polarization spectra. This suggests
that spectro-polarimetry may be used to refine the classification of asteroids.
We also found that in some cases the Umov law may be violated, that is, in
contrast to what is expected from basic physical considerations, the fraction
of linear polarization and the reflectance may be positively correlated. In
agreement with a few previous studies based on multi-colour broadband
polarimetry, we found that the variation of linear polarization with wavelength
and with phase-angle is correlated with the albedo and taxonomic class of the
objects. Finally, we have serendipitously discovered that spinel-rich asteroid
(599) Luisa, located very close to the Watsonia family, is a member of the rare
class of Barbarian asteroids.
We suggest that future modelling attempts of the surface structure of
asteroids should be aimed at explaining both reflectance and polarization
spectra.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter
First albedo determination of 2867 Steins, target of the Rosetta mission
We present the first albedo determination of 2867 Steins, the asteroid target
o f the Rosetta space mission together with 21 Lutetia. The data were obtained
in polarimetric mode at the ESO-VLT telescope with the FORS1 instrument in the
V and R filters. Observations were carried out from Jun e to August 2005
covering the phase angle range from 10.3 deg. to 28.3 deg., allowing the
determination of the asteroid albedo by the well known experimenta l
relationship between the albedo and the slope of the polarimetric curve at th e
inversion angle. The measured polarization values of Steins are small,
confirming an E-type cla ssification for this asteroid, as already suggested
from its spectral propertie s. The inversion angle of the polarization curve in
the V and R filters is resp ectively of 17.3 +/-1.5deg. and 18.4+/-1.0 deg.,
and the corresponding sl ope parameter is of 0.037+/-0.003 %/deg and
0.032+/-0.003 %/deg. On the basis of its polarimetric slope value, we have
derived an albedo of 0.45 +/-0.1, that gives an estimated diameter of 4.6 km,
assuming an absolute V ma gnitude of 13.18 mag.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, letter accepted for pubblication on A&
On the calibration of the relation between geometric albedo and polarimetric properties for the asteroids
We present a new extensive analysis of the old problem of finding a
satisfactory calibration of the relation between the geometric albedo and some
measurable polarization properties of the asteroids. To achieve our goals, we
use all polarimetric data at our disposal. For the purposes of calibration, we
use a limited sample of objects for which we can be confident to know the
albedo with good accuracy, according to previous investigations of other
authors. We find a new set of updated calibration coefficients for the
classical slope - albedo relation, but we generalize our analysis and we
consider also alternative possibilities, including the use of other
polarimetric parameters, one being proposed here for the first time, and the
possibility to exclude from best-fit analyzes the asteroids having low albedos.
We also consider a possible parabolic fit of the whole set of data.Comment: Accepted by MNRA
Shape models and physical properties of asteroids
Despite the large amount of high quality data generated in recent space
encounters with asteroids, the majority of our knowledge about these objects
comes from ground based observations. Asteroids travelling in orbits that are
potentially hazardous for the Earth form an especially interesting group to be
studied. In order to predict their orbital evolution, it is necessary to
investigate their physical properties. This paper briefly describes the data
requirements and different techniques used to solve the lightcurve inversion
problem. Although photometry is the most abundant type of observational data,
models of asteroids can be obtained using various data types and techniques. We
describe the potential of radar imaging and stellar occultation timings to be
combined with disk-integrated photometry in order to reveal information about
physical properties of asteroids.Comment: From Assessment and Mitigation of Asteroid Impact Hazards boo
Linear spectropolarimetry: a new diagnostic tool for the classification and characterization of asteroids
We explore the use of spectropolarimetry as a remote sensing tool for asteroids in addition to traditional reflectance measurements. In particular, we are interested in possible relationships between the wavelength-dependent variation of linear polarization and the properties of the surfaces, including albedo and composition. We have obtained optical spectropolarimetric measurements of a dozen asteroids of different albedo and taxonomic classes and of two small regions at the limb of the Moon. We found that objects with marginally different relative reflectance spectra (in the optical) may have totally different polarization spectra. This suggests that spectropolarimetry may be used to refine the classification of asteroids. We also found that in some cases the Umov law may be violated, that is, in contrast to what is expected from basic physical considerations, the fraction of linear polarization and the reflectance may be positively correlated. In agreement with a few previous studies based on multicolour broad-band polarimetry, we found that the variation of linear polarization with wavelength and with phase-angle is correlated with the albedo and taxonomic class of the objects. Finally, we have serendipitously discovered that spinel-rich asteroid (599) Luisa, located very close to the Watsonia family, is a member of the rare class of Barbarian asteroids. We suggest that future modelling attempts of the surface structure of asteroids should be aimed at explaining both reflectance and polarization spectra
Evidence for a colour dependence in the size distribution of main belt asteroids
We present the results of a project to detect small (~1 km) main-belt
asteroids with the 3.6 meter Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). We observed
in 2 filters (MegaPrime g' and r') in order to compare the results in each
band. Owing to the observational cadence we did not observe the same asteroids
through each filter and thus do not have true colour information. However
strong differences in the size distributions as seen in the two filters point
to a colour-dependence at these sizes, perhaps to be expected in this regime
where asteroid cohesiveness begins to be dominated by physical strength and
composition rather than by gravity. The best fit slopes of the cumulative size
distributions (CSDs) in both filters tend towards lower values for smaller
asteroids, consistent with the results of previous studies. In addition to this
trend, the size distributions seen in the two filters are distinctly different,
with steeper slopes in r' than in g'. Breaking our sample up according to
semimajor axis, the difference between the filters in the inner belt is found
to be somewhat less pronounced than in the middle and outer belt, but the CSD
of those asteroids seen in the r' filter is consistently and significantly
steeper than in g' throughout. The CSD slopes also show variations with
semimajor axis within a given filter, particularly in r'. We conclude that the
size distribution of main belt asteroids is likely to be colour dependent at
kilometer sizes and that this dependence may vary across the belt.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures, submitted to the Astronomical Journa
Physical Investigation of the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (144898) 2004 VD17
In this paper we present the observational campaign carried out at ESO NTT
and VLT in April and May 2006 to investigate the nature and the structure of
the Near Earth Object (144898) 2004 VD17. In spite of a great quantity of
dynamical information, according to which it will have a close approach with
the Earth in the next century, the physical properties of this asteroid are
largely unknown. We performed visible and near--infrared photometry and
spectroscopy, as well as polarimetric observations. Polarimetric and
spectroscopic data allowed us to classify 2004 VD17 as an E-type asteroid. A
good agreement was also found with the spectrum of the aubrite meteorite Mayo
Belwa. On the basis of the polarimetric albedo (p_v=0.45) and of photometric
data, we estimated a diameter of about 320 m and a rotational period of about 2
hours. The analysis of the results obtained by our complete survey have shown
that (144898) 2004 VD17 is a peculiar NEO, since it is close to the breakup
limits for fast rotator asteroids, as defined by Pravec and Harris (2000).
These results suggest that a more robust structure must be expected, as a
fractured monolith or a rubble pile in a "strength regime" (Holsapple 2002).Comment: 32 pages, 7 figure, paper accepted for publication in Icaru
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