Methane and Nitrogen Abundances On Pluto and Eris

We present spectra of Eris from the MMT 6.5 meter telescope and Red Channel Spectrograph (5700-9800 angstroms; 5 angstroms per pix) on Mt. Hopkins, AZ, and of Pluto from the Steward Observatory 2.3 meter telescope and Boller and Chivens spectrograph (7100-9400 angstroms; 2 angstroms per pix) on Kitt Peak, AZ. In addition, we present laboratory transmission spectra of methane-nitrogen and methane-argon ice mixtures. By anchoring our analysis in methane and nitrogen solubilities in one another as expressed in the phase diagram of Prokhvatilov and Yantsevich (1983), and comparing methane bands in our Eris and Pluto spectra and methane bands in our laboratory spectra of methane and nitrogen ice mixtures, we find Eris' bulk methane and nitrogen abundances are about 10% and about 90%, and Pluto's bulk methane and nitrogen abundances are about 3% and about 97%. Such abundances for Pluto are consistent with values reported in the literature. It appears that the bulk volatile composition of Eris is similar to the bulk volatile composition of Pluto. Both objects appear to be dominated by nitrogen ice. Our analysis also suggests, unlike previous work reported in the literature, that the methane and nitrogen stoichiometry is constant with depth into the surface of Eris. Finally, we point out that our Eris spectrum is also consistent with a laboratory ice mixture consisting of 40% methane and 60% argon. Although we cannot rule out an argon rich surface, it seems more likely that nitrogen is the dominant species on Eris because the nitrogen ice 2.15 micron band is seen in spectra of Pluto and Triton.Comment: The manuscript has 44 pages, 15 figures, and four tables. It will appear in the Astrophysical Journa

NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results

The NEOWISE dataset offers the opportunity to study the variations in albedo for asteroid classification schemes based on visible and near-infrared observations for a large sample of minor planets. We have determined the albedos for nearly 1900 asteroids classified by the Tholen, Bus and Bus-DeMeo taxonomic classification schemes. We find that the S-complex spans a broad range of bright albedos, partially overlapping the low albedo C-complex at small sizes. As expected, the X-complex covers a wide range of albedos. The multi-wavelength infrared coverage provided by NEOWISE allows determination of the reflectivity at 3.4 and 4.6 $\mu$m relative to the visible albedo. The direct computation of the reflectivity at 3.4 and 4.6 $\mu$m enables a new means of comparing the various taxonomic classes. Although C, B, D and T asteroids all have similarly low visible albedos, the D and T types can be distinguished from the C and B types by examining their relative reflectance at 3.4 and 4.6 $\mu$m. All of the albedo distributions are strongly affected by selection biases against small, low albedo objects, as all objects selected for taxonomic classification were chosen according to their visible light brightness. Due to these strong selection biases, we are unable to determine whether or not there are correlations between size, albedo and space weathering. We argue that the current set of classified asteroids makes any such correlations difficult to verify. A sample of taxonomically classified asteroids drawn without significant albedo bias is needed in order to perform such an analysis.Comment: Accepted to Ap

The operational environment and rotational acceleration of asteroid (101955) Bennu from OSIRIS-REx observations

During its approach to asteroid (101955) Bennu, NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft surveyed Bennu's immediate environment, photometric properties, and rotation state. Discovery of a dusty environment, a natural satellite, or unexpected asteroid characteristics would have had consequences for the mission's safety and observation strategy. Here we show that spacecraft observations during this period were highly sensitive to satellites (sub-meter scale) but reveal none, although later navigational images indicate that further investigation is needed. We constrain average dust production in September 2018 from Bennu's surface to an upper limit of 150 g s(-1) averaged over 34 min. Bennu's disk-integrated photometric phase function validates measurements from the pre-encounter astronomical campaign. We demonstrate that Bennu's rotation rate is accelerating continuously at 3.63 +/- 0.52 x 10(-6) degrees day(-2), likely due to the Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect, with evolutionary implications.This material is based upon work supported by NASA under Contract NNM10AA11C issued through the New Frontiers Program. This work made use of sbpy (http://sbpy. org), a community-driven Python package for small-body planetary astronomy supported by NASA PDART Grant No. 80NSSC18K0987. A portion of this research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. M.A.B. and S.F. acknowledge financial support from CNES

NEOWISE Observations of Near-Earth Objects: Preliminary Results

With the NEOWISE portion of the \emph{Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer} (WISE) project, we have carried out a highly uniform survey of the near-Earth object (NEO) population at thermal infrared wavelengths ranging from 3 to 22 $\mu$m, allowing us to refine estimates of their numbers, sizes, and albedos. The NEOWISE survey detected NEOs the same way whether they were previously known or not, subject to the availability of ground-based follow-up observations, resulting in the discovery of more than 130 new NEOs. The survey's uniformity in sensitivity, observing cadence, and image quality have permitted extrapolation of the 428 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) detected by NEOWISE during the fully cryogenic portion of the WISE mission to the larger population. We find that there are 981$\pm$19 NEAs larger than 1 km and 20,500$\pm$3000 NEAs larger than 100 m. We show that the Spaceguard goal of detecting 90% of all 1 km NEAs has been met, and that the cumulative size distribution is best represented by a broken power law with a slope of 1.32$\pm$0.14 below 1.5 km. This power law slope produces $\sim13,200\pm$1,900 NEAs with $D>$140 m. Although previous studies predict another break in the cumulative size distribution below $D\sim$50-100 m, resulting in an increase in the number of NEOs in this size range and smaller, we did not detect enough objects to comment on this increase. The overall number for the NEA population between 100-1000 m are lower than previous estimates. The numbers of near-Earth comets will be the subject of future work.Comment: Accepted to Ap

NEOWISE Studies of Asteroids with Sloan Photometry: Preliminary Results

We have combined the NEOWISE and Sloan Digital Sky Survey data to study the albedos of 24,353 asteroids with candidate taxonomic classifications derived using Sloan photometry. We find a wide range of moderate to high albedos for candidate S-type asteroids that are analogous to the S-complex defined by previous spectrophotometrically-based taxonomic systems. The candidate C-type asteroids, while generally very dark, have a tail of higher albedos that overlaps the S types. The albedo distribution for asteroids with a photometrically derived Q classification is extremely similar to those of the S types. Asteroids with similar colors to (4) Vesta have higher albedos than the S types, and most have orbital elements similar to known Vesta family members. Finally, we show that the relative reflectance at 3.4 and 4.6 $\mu$m is higher for D-type asteroids and suggest that their red visible and near-infrared spectral slope extends out to these wavelengths. Understanding the relationship between size, albedo, and taxonomic classification is complicated by the fact that the objects with classifications were selected from the visible/near-infrared Sloan Moving Object Catalog, which is biased against fainter asteroids, including those with lower albedos.Comment: ApJ accepte

Preliminary Results from NEOWISE: An Enhancement to the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer for Solar System Science

The \emph{Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer} has surveyed the entire sky at four infrared wavelengths with greatly improved sensitivity and spatial resolution compared to its predecessors, the \emph{Infrared Astronomical Satellite} and the \emph{Cosmic Background Explorer}. NASA's Planetary Science Division has funded an enhancement to the \WISE\ data processing system called "NEOWISE" that allows detection and archiving of moving objects found in the \WISE\ data. NEOWISE has mined the \WISE\ images for a wide array of small bodies in our Solar System, including Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), Main Belt asteroids, comets, Trojans, and Centaurs. By the end of survey operations in February 2011, NEOWISE identified over 157,000 asteroids, including more than 500 NEOs and $\sim$120 comets. The NEOWISE dataset will enable a panoply of new scientific investigations.Comment: ApJ accepte

Photometry of Particles Ejected From Active Asteroid (101955) Bennu

AbstractNear‐Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu is an active asteroid experiencing mass loss in the form of ejection events emitting up to hundreds of millimeter‐ to centimeter‐scale particles. The close proximity of the Origins, Spectral Interpretations, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer spacecraft enabled monitoring of particles for a 10‐month period encompassing Bennu's perihelion and aphelion. We found 18 multiparticle ejection events, with masses ranging from near zero to hundreds of grams (or thousands with uncertainties) and translational kinetic energies ranging from near zero to tens of millijoules (or hundreds with uncertainties). We estimate that Bennu ejects ~104 g per orbit. The largest event took place on 6 January 2019 and consisted of ~200 particles. The observed mass and translational kinetic energy of the event were between 459 and 528 g and 62 and 77 mJ, respectively. Hundreds of particles not associated with the multiparticle ejections were also observed. Photometry of the best‐observed particles, measured at phase angles between ~70° and 120°, was used to derive a linear phase coefficient of 0.013 ± 0.005 magnitudes per degree of phase angle. Ground‐based data back to 1999 show no evidence of past activity for Bennu; however, the currently observed activity is orders of magnitude lower than observed at other active asteroids and too low be observed remotely. There appears to be a gentle decrease in activity with distance from the Sun, suggestive of ejection processes such as meteoroid impacts and thermal fracturing, although observational bias may be a factor

Episodes of particle ejection from the surface of the active asteroid (101955) Bennu

Active asteroids are those that show evidence of ongoing mass loss. We report repeated instances of particle ejection from the surface of (101955) Bennu, demonstrating that it is an active asteroid. The ejection events were imaged by the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) spacecraft. For the three largest events, we estimated the ejected particle velocities and sizes, event times, source regions, and energies. We also determined the trajectories and photometric properties of several gravitationally bound particles that orbited temporarily in the Bennu environment. We consider multiple hypotheses for the mechanisms that lead to particle ejection for the largest events, including rotational disruption, electrostatic lofting, ice sublimation, phyllosilicate dehydration, meteroid impacts, thermal stress fracturing, and secondary impacts

Loss-of-function mutations in the X-linked biglycan gene cause a severe syndromic form of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) is typically inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, but rare X-linked families have been described. So far, the only known X-linked gene is FLNA, which is associated with the periventricular nodular heterotopia type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. However, mutations in this gene explain only a small number of X-linked TAAD families. We performed targeted resequencing of 368 candidate genes in a cohort of 11 molecularly unexplained Marfan probands. Subsequently, Sanger sequencing of BGN in 360 male and 155 female molecularly unexplained TAAD probands was performed. We found five individuals with loss-of-function mutations in BGN encoding the small leucine-rich proteoglycan biglycan. The clinical phenotype is characterized by early-onset aortic aneurysm and dissection. Other recurrent findings include hypertelorism, pectus deformity, joint hypermobility, contractures, and mild skeletal dysplasia. Fluorescent staining revealed an increase in TGF-β signaling, evidenced by an increase in nuclear pSMAD2 in the aortic wall. Our results are in line with those of prior reports demonstrating that Bgn-deficient male BALB/cA mice die from aortic rupture. In conclusion, BGN gene defects in humans cause an X-linked syndromic form of severe TAAD that is associated with preservation of elastic fibers and increased TGF-β signaling.Genet Med 19 4, 386-395