Evidence for the insignificance of ordinary chondritic material in the asteroid belt

Abstract— We review the meteoritical and astronomical literature to answer the question: What is the evidence for the importance of ordinary chondritic material to the composition of the asteroid belt? From the meteoritical literature, we find that currently (1) our meteorite collections sample at least 135 different asteroids; (2) out of 25+ chondritic meteorite parent bodies, 3 are (by definition) ordinary chondritic; (3) out of 14 chondritic grouplets and unique chondrites, 11 are affiliated with a carbonaceous group/clan of chondrites; (4) out of 24 differentiated groups of meteorites, only the HE iron meteorites clearly formed from ordinary chondritic precursor material; (5) out of 12 differentiated grouplets and unique differentiated meteorites, 8 seem to have had carbonaceous chondritic precursors; (6) a high frequency of carbonaceous clasts in ordinary chondritic breccias suggests that ordinary chondrites have been embedded in a swarm of carbonaceous material. The rare occurrence (only one example) of ordinary chondritic clasts in carbonaceous chondritic breccias indicates that ordinary chondritic material has not been widespread in the asteroid belt; (7) cosmic spherules, micrometeorites, and stratospheric interplanetary dust particles—believed to represent a less biased sampling of asteroidal material—show that only a very small fraction (less than ～1%) of asteroidal dust has an ordinary chondritic composition. From the astronomical literature, we find that currently (8) spectroscopic surveys of the main asteroid belt are finding more and more nonordinary chondritic primitive material in the inner main belt; (9) the increase in spectroscopic data has increased the inferred mineralogical diversity of main belt asteroids; and (10) no ordinary chondritic asteroids have been directly observed in the main belt. These lines of evidence strongly suggest a scenario in which ordinary chondritic asteroids were never abundant in the main belt. The S-type asteroids may currently be primarily differentiated, but the precursor material is more likely to have been carbonaceous chondritic, not ordinary chondritic. Historically, carbonaceous material could have dominated the entire main belt. This could explain the presence in the inner main belt of asteroids linked to the primitive carbonaceous chondrites, and the absence of asteroids linked to the ordinary chondrites. The implications of this scenario for the asteroid heating mechanism(s) are briefly discussed.     

Dust production from the hypervelocity impact disruption of the Murchison hydrous CM2 meteorite: Implications for the disruption of hydrous asteroids and the production of interplanetary dust

More than half of the C-type asteroids, the dominant type of asteroid in the outer half of the main-belt, show evidence of hydration in their reflectance spectra. In order to understand the collisional evolution of asteroids and the production of interplanetary dust and to model the infrared signature of small particles in the Solar System it is important to characterize the dust production from primary impact disruption events, and compare the disruption of hydrous and anhydrous targets. We performed a hypervelocity impact disruption experiment on an ∼30 g target of the Murchison CM2 hydrated carbonaceous chondrite meteorite, and compared the results with our previous disruption experiments on anhydrous meteorites including Allende, a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite, and nine ordinary chondrites. Murchison is significantly more friable than the ordinary chondrites or Allende. Nonetheless, on a plot of mass of the largest fragment versus specific impact energy, the Murchison disruption plots within the field of the anhydrous meteorites points, suggesting that Murchison is at least as resistant to impact disruption as the anhydrous meteorites, which require about twice the energy for disruption as terrestrial anhydrous basalt targets. We determined the mass-frequency distribution of the debris from the Murchison disruption over a nine order-of-magnitude mass range, from ∼10⁻⁹ g to the mass of the largest fragment produced in the disruption. The cumulative mass-frequency distribution from the Murchison disruption is fit by three power-law segments. For masses >10⁻² g the slope is only slightly steeper than that of the corresponding segment from the disruption of most anhydrous meteorites. Over the range from ∼10⁻⁶ to 10⁻² g the slope is significantly steeper than that for the anhydrous meteorites. For masses <10⁻⁶ g the slopes of both the Murchison and the anhydrous meteorites are almost flat. Thus the Murchison disruption significantly over-produced small fragments (10⁻⁶-10⁻³ g) compared to anhydrous meteorite targets. If the Murchison results are representative of hydrous asteroids, the hydrous asteroids may dominate over anhydrous asteroids in the production of interplanetary dust >100 μm in size, the size of micrometeorites recovered from the polar ices, while both types of asteroids might produce comparable amounts of ∼10 μm interplanetary dust. This would explain the puzzle that polar micrometeorites (>100 μm in size) are similar to hydrous meteorites, while the majority of the ∼10 μm interplanetary dust particles are anhydrous.     

A survey of Karin cluster asteroids with the Spitzer Space Telescope

The Karin cluster is one of the youngest known families of main-belt asteroids, dating back to a collisional event only 5.8±0.2 Myr ago. Using the Spitzer Space Telescope we have photometrically sampled the thermal continua (3.5-22 μm) of 17 Karin cluster asteroids of different sizes, down to the smallest members discovered so far, in order to make the first direct measurements of their sizes and albedos and study the physical properties of their surfaces. Our targets are also amongst the smallest main-belt asteroids observed to date in the mid-infrared. The derived diameters range from 17.3 km for 832 Karin to 1.5 km for 75176, with typical uncertainties of 10%. The mean albedo is pv=0.215±0.015, compared to 0.20±0.07 for 832 Karin itself (for H=11.2±0.3), consistent with the view that the Karin asteroids are closely related physically as well as dynamically. The albedo distribution (0.12?pv?0.32) is consistent with the range associated with S-type asteroids but the variation from one object to another appears to be significant. Contrary to the case for near-Earth asteroids, our data show no evidence of an albedo dependence on size. However, the mean albedo is lower than expected for young, fresh “S-type” surfaces, suggesting that space weathering can darken main-belt asteroid surfaces on very short timescales. Our data are also suggestive of a connection between surface roughness and albedo, which may reflect rejuvenation of weathered surfaces by impact gardening. While the available data allow only estimates of lower limits for thermal inertia, we find no evidence for the relatively high values of thermal inertia reported for some similarly sized near-Earth asteroids. Our results constitute the first observational confirmation of the legitimacy of assumptions made in recent modeling of the formation of the Karin cluster via a single catastrophic collision 5.8±0.2 Myr ago.     

Physical characteristics of Hayabusa target Asteroid 25143 Itokawa

In March 2001, the Hayabusa spacecraft target, Asteroid 25143 Itokawa, made its final close approach to Earth prior to the spacecraft's launch. We carried out an extensive observing campaign from January to September 2001 to better characterize this near-Earth asteroid. Global physical properties of the surface of Itokawa were characterized by analyzing its photometric properties and behavior. Results included here capitalize on analysis of broadband photometric observations taken with a number of telescopes, instruments, and observers. We employed a Hapke model to estimate the surface roughness, single particle scattering albedo, single particle scattering characteristics, phase integral, and geometric and bond albedo. We find that this asteroid has a higher geometric albedo than average main belt S-class asteroids; this is consistent with results from other observers. The broadband colors of Itokawa further support evidence that this is an atypical S-class asteroid. Broadband colors show spectral characteristics more typically found on large-diameter main-belt asteroids believed to be space-weathered, suggesting the surface of this small diameter, near-Earth asteroid could likewise be space-weathered.     

Interplanetary dust particles and impact erosion

Motion of the interplanetary dust particle under the action of collisions with much smaller interplanetary dust particles is investigated. The equation of motion is derived. Perturbation equations of celestial mechanics are also discussed. The results are compared with the Poynting-Robertson effect and the effect of solar wind on the motion of the interplanetary dust particles, from the point of view of observational data.     

Microbeam Analysis of Four Chondritic Interplanetary Dust Particles for Major Elements,Carbon and Oxygen

Abstract— Chemical compositions determined using electron excited x-rays are reported for four interplanetary dust particles collected in the stratosphere. These analyses include measurements of carbon and oxygen abundances which are important elements in these primitive materials. Spot analyses show very heterogeneous compositions on a micrometer scale although average composition approaches that of C1 carbonaceous chondrites. While the spot analyses show intermediate compositions between cometary dust and carbonaceous chondrites, the heterogeneity more closely resembles that of comet Halley dust particles.     

Mineralogy,chemistry, and oxygen isotopes of refractory inclusions from stratospheric interplanetary dust particles and micrometeorites

Abstract— Calcium, aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) are characteristic components in carbonaceous chondrites. Their mineralogy is dominated by refractory oxides and silicates like corundum, perovskite, spinel, hibonite, melilite, and Ca-pyroxene, which are predicted to be the first phases to have condensed from the cooling solar nebula. Allowing insights into processes occurring in the early solar system, CAIs in carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites were studied in great detail, whereas only a few refractory inclusions were found and studied in stratospheric interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and micrometeorites. This study gives a summary of all previous studies on refractory inclusions in stratospheric IDPs and micrometeorites and will present new data on two Antarctic micrometeorites. The main results are summarized as follows: (a) Eight stratospheric IDPs and six micrometeorites contain Ca, Al-rich inclusions or refractory minerals. The constituent minerals include spinel, perovskite, fassaite, hibonite, melilite, corundum, diopside and anorthite. (b) Four of the seven obtained rare-earth-element (REE) patterns from refractory objects in stratospheric IDPs and micrometeorites are related to Group III patterns known from refractory inclusions from carbonaceous chondrites. A Group II related pattern was found for spinel and perovskite in two micrometeorites. The seventh REE pattern for an orthopyroxene is unique and can be explained by fractionation of Gd, Lu, and Tb at highly reducing conditions. (c) The O-isotopic compositions of most refractory objects in stratospheric IDPs and micrometeorites are similar to those of constituents from carbonaceous chondrites and fall on the carbonaceous chondrites anhydrous minerals mixing line. In fact, in most cases, in terms of mineralogy, REE pattern and O-isotopic composition of refractory inclusions in stratospheric IDPs and micrometeorites are in good agreement with a suggested genetic relation of dust particles and carbonaceous chondrites. Only in the case of one Antarctic micrometeorite does the REE pattern obtained for an orthopyroxene point to a link of this particle to enstatite chondrites.     

A new variant of saponite‐rich micrometeorites recovered from recent Antarctic snowfall

Abstract– Eight saponite‐rich micrometeorites with very similar mineralogy were found from the recent surface snow in Antarctica. They might have come to Earth as a larger meteoroid and broke up into pieces on Earth, because they were recovered from the same layer and the same location of the snow. Synchrotron X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates that saponite, Mg‐Fe carbonate, and pyrrhotite are major phases and serpentine, magnetite, and pentlandite are minor phases. Anhydrous silicates are entirely absent from all micrometeorites, suggesting that their parental object has undergone heavy aqueous alteration. Saponite/serpentine ratios are higher than in the Orgueil CI chondrite and are similar to the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation indicates that serpentine occupies core regions of fine‐grained saponite, pyrrhotite has a low‐Ni concentration, and Mg‐Fe carbonate shows unique concentric ring structures and has a mean molar Mg/(Mg + Fe) ratio of 0.7. Comparison of the mineralogy to hydrated chondrites and interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) suggests that the micrometeorites are most similar to the carbonate‐poor lithology of the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite and some hydrous IDPs, but they show a carbonate mineralogy dissimilar to any primitive chondritic materials. Therefore, they are a new variant of saponite‐rich micrometeorite extracted from a primitive hydrous asteroid and recently accreted to Antarctica.     

Interplanetary dust particles: Disintegration and orbital motion

Abrupt or gradual disintegration of the interplanetary dust particle causes increase of its distance from the Sun due to the solar radiation pressure. The problem of the orbital evolution of the interplanetary dust particles under such disintegration processes is discussed. The process of gradual disintegration due to the solar wind particles is calculated in detail. Obtained results represent corrections to the changes of orbital elements for the Poynting-Robertson effect and effect of the solar wind.     

Nongravitational forces and meteoroid streams

The action of the solar electromagnetic radiation on the moving interplanetary dust particles in its more complete form than the special case known as the Poynting-Robertson effect is theoretically discussed in application to meteoroid stream of comet Encke.Normal and transversal components of the perturbing nongravitational force are used due to the action of the solar electromagnetic radiation. It is shown that the normal component of the force is negligible. However, transversal component is very important: it can probably completely explain all the observed meteoroid streams situated along the orbit of comet Encke (and, possibly, some asteroids) as the product of the comet Encke alone. Much shorter time is required for producing such a meteoroid stream than is a general conception.If the idea about the significance of the transversal component of the nongravitational force (may be, not produced by electromagnetic radiation) is correct, it may have important consequences for our understanding of ageing of comets, global evolution of the cometary (and, partially, asteroidal) system, and, of course, for a long-term evolution of small interplanetary particles.     

CM-like interplanetary dust particles in lower stratosphere during 1989 October and 1991 June/July

Abstract— The stratospheric interplanetary dust particles L2005T12 and L2011O3 are linked to CM chondrite matrix. Particle L2005T12 is dominated by tabular grains of partially dehydrated greenalite-rich serpentine. Its amorphous matrix contains abundant smectite nanocrystals and annular Fe, Ni, S units. A uniquely stratified (partial) maghémite rim occurs only on S-rich parts of the matrix. Formation of this rim and Mg depletions in the matrix occurred during atmospheric entry heating of this particle. Particle L2011O3 has large iron sulfide and magnesiowüstite grains in an amorphous low-Al, ferromagnesiosilica matrix. Hydrous crystallisation of this matrix produced ultrafine-grained smectites and disseminated iron sulfides. Atmospheric entry heating of both particles is indicated by the partial iron oxide rim, vesicular sulfides, and the scatter of matrix compositions due to loss of Mg. While many uncertainties remain, the high incidence of chondritic rough particles, which include an unknown amount of CM-like particles, in the lower stratosphere during 1984, 1989, and 1991 suggests annual variations in their abundances. The timing of lower stratospheric dust samplings is critical to collect these particles.     

The porosity and permeability of chondritic meteorites and interplanetary dust particles

Abstract— We have investigated the porosity of a large number of chondritic interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and meteorites by three techniques: standard liquid/gas flow techniques, a new, noninvasive ultrasonic technique, and image processing of backscattered images. The latter technique is obviously best-suited to sub-kilogram sized samples. We have also measured the gas and liquid permeabilities of some chondrites by two techniques: standard liquid/gas flow techniques, and a new, nondestructive pressure release technique. We find that chondritic IDPs have a somewhat bimodal porosity distribution. Peaks are present at 0 and 4% porosity; a tail then extends to 53%. Type 1–3 chondrite matrix porosities range up to 30%, with a peak at 2%. The bulk porosities for type 1–3 chondrites have the same approximate range as exhibited by the matrix, which indicates that other components of the bulk meteorites (including chondrules and aggregates) have the same average porosity as the matrix. These results reveal that the porosities of primitive materials at scales ranging from nanogram to kilogram are similar, which implies that similar accretion dynamics operated through 12 orders of size magnitude. Permeabilities of the investigated chondrites vary by several orders of magnitude, and there appears to be no simple dependence of permeability with degree of aqueous alteration, chondrite type or porosity.     

Composition of 298 Baptistina: Implications for the K/T impactor link

Abstract— Bottke et al. (2007) suggested that the breakup of the Baptistina asteroid family (BAF) 160⁺³⁰/_‐20 Myr ago produced an “asteroid shower” that increased by a factor of 2–3 the impact flux of kilometer‐sized and larger asteroids striking the Earth over the last ?120 Myr. This result led them to propose that the impactor that produced the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) mass extinction event 65 Myr ago also may have come from the BAF. This putative link was based both on collisional/dynamical modeling work and on physical evidence. For the latter, the available broadband color and spectroscopic data on BAF members indicate many are likely to be dark, low albedo asteroids. This is consistent with the carbonaceous chondrite‐like nature of a 65 Myr old fossil meteorite (Kyte 1998) and with chromium from K/T boundary sediments with an isotopic signature similar to that from CM2 carbonaceous chondrites. To test elements of this scenario, we obtained near‐IR and thermal IR spectroscopic data of asteroid 298 Baptistina using the NASA IRTF in order to determine surface mineralogy and estimate its albedo. We found that the asteroid has moderately strong absorption features due to the presence of olivine and pyroxene, and a moderately high albedo (?20%). These combined properties strongly suggest that the asteroid is more like an S‐type rather than Xc‐type (Mothé‐Diniz et al. 2005). This weakens the case for 298 Baptistina being a CM2 carbonaceous chondrite and its link to the K/T impactor. We also observed several bright (V Mag. ≤16.8) BAF members to determine their composition.     

The fall and recovery of the Tagish Lake meteorite

Abstract— The Tagish Lake C2 (ungrouped) carbonaceous chondrite fall of January 18, 2000, delivered ?10 kg of one of the most primitive and physically weak meteorites yet studied. In this paper, we report the detailed circumstances of the fall and the recovery of all documented Tagish Lake fragments from a strewnfield at least 16 km long and 3 to 4 km wide. Nearly 1 kg of “pristine” meteorites were collected one week after the fall before new snow covered the strewnfield; the majority of the recovered mass was collected during the spring melt. Ground eyewitnesses and a variety of instrument‐recorded observations of the Tagish Lake fireball provide a refined estimate of the fireball trajectory. From its calculated orbit and its similarity to the remotely sensed properties of the D‐ and P‐class asteroids, the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite apparently represents these outer belt asteroids. The cosmogenic nuclide results and modeled production indicate a prefall radius of 2.1–2.4 m (corresponding to 60–90 tons) consistent with the observed fireball energy release. The bulk oxygen‐isotope compositions plot just below the terrestrial fractionation line (TFL), following a trend similar to the CM meteorite mixing line. The bulk density of the Tagish Lake material (1.64 ± 0.02 g/cm³) is the same, within uncertainty, as the total bulk densities of several C‐class and especially D‐ and P‐class asteroids. The high microporosity of Tagish Lake samples (?40%) provides an obvious candidate material for the composition of low bulk density primitive asteroids.     

S-type asteroids,ordinary chondrites,and space weathering: The evidence from Galileo's fly-bys of Gaspra and Ida

Abstract— New observations of the S-type asteroids Gaspra and Ida, especially, by the Galileo spacecraft demonstrate that a “space weathering” process operates, which modifies the reflectance spectra of fresh material to be redder, straighter, and have shallower absorption bands. The weathering process appears similar to but less potent than that observed on the Moon. It operates in the sense that it would tend to convert spectra of ordinary chondrites (OC) to having the spectral traits of S-type asteroids. These results appear to resolve the major obstacles of the long standing “S-type conundrum” about the provenance of ordinary chondrite meteorites. A wide body of recent research, which is reviewed here, builds on previous meteoritical evidence to support a new, developing consensus that the larger S-type asteroids are a diverse assortment of silicaceous assemblages, which includes the ordinary chrondite parent bodies. Recent fairly realistic laboratory simulations of space weathering processes have changed OC spectra to resemble S-type spectra. J. F. Bell's highly regarded earlier paradigm that OC parent bodies would be found only among sub-10 km main-belt asteroids has been tested by an extensive observational survey by R. Binzel and his proteges; the result is that no small, main-belt analog for the OCs has been found, not even the somewhat OC-like object Boznemcová. This article reviews the history of the S-type conundrum, which set the stage for Galileo's historic flybys. I review the findings about Gaspra and Ida, including results about their geology, their geophysical structure and probable origins, and about Ida's small moonlet, Dactyl. Density constraints on Ida set by Dactyl's orbit rule out (for Ida, at least) the classic view of S-types as metallic, stripped cores of differentiated precursor asteroids. New analysis of the Galileo spectral images of Ida is presented that provides strong evidence that space weathering occurs on Ida, and that Ida, and the Koronis family asteroids in general, are plausibly OC-like in composition. After reviewing 1990s developments on the S-type conundrum, I advocate a new perspective that the ordinary chondrite parent bodies are among the S-type asteroids, a diverse grouping that also contains other silicaceous and silicate/metal assemblages, presumably including various stony-irons and primitive achondrites represented in meteorite collections; Gaspra may be such a metal-rich assemblage.     

Dynamical Effects of Mars on Asteroidal Dust Particles

Asteroidal dust particles resulting from family-forming events migrate from their source locations in the asteroid belt inwards towards the Sun under the effect of Poynting-Robertson (PR) drag. Understanding the distribution of these dust particle orbits in the inner solar system is of great importance to determining the asteroidal contribution to the zodiacal cloud, the accretion rate by the Earth, and the threat that these particles pose to spacecraft and satellites in near-Earth space. In order to correctly describe this distribution of orbits in the inner solar system, we must track the dynamical perturbations that the dust particle orbits experience as they migrate inwards. In a seminal paper Öpik (1951) determines that very few of the μm-cm sized dust particles suffer a collision with the planet face as they decay inwards past Mars. Here we re-analyze this problem, considering additionally the likelihood that the dust particle orbits pass through the Hill sphere of Mars (to various depths) and experience potentially significant perturbations to their orbits. We find that a considerable fraction of dust particle orbits will enter the Hill sphere of Mars. Furthermore, we find that there is a bias with inclination, particle size, and eccentricity of the particle orbits that enter the Martian Hill sphere. In particular the bias with inclination may create a bias towards higher-inclination sources in the proportions of asteroid family particles that reach near-Earth space.     

Infrared spectroscopic observations of 69230 Hermes (1937 UB): possible unweathered endmember among ordinary chondrite analogs

We have obtained near-infrared (0.8-2.5 μm) spectra of Hermes (1937 UB) using the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea. We find Hermes to have spectral properties consistent with L/LL chondrites, with a strong visual similarity to Gaffey (1976, J. Geophys. Res. 81, 905) average L6 chondrites. We define a ratio of band areas (RBA) using the Modified Gaussian Method (MGM: Sunshine and Pieters, 1990, in: Lunar and Planetary Institute Conference Abstracts, p. 1223, 1993, J. Geophys. Res. 98, 9075) to quantify near-infrared asteroidal data lacking a visible component. Hermes has a spectrum nearly indistinguishable from (19356) 1997 GH3. Together, these asteroids represent new endmembers on the continuum of spectra from ordinary chondrite meteorites to large main-belt S-class asteroids. We discuss regolith effects that may be occurring on Hermes and other possible ordinary chondrite parent bodies, and constrain the albedo of Hermes to 0.4 or higher (effective diameter 650 m or smaller) if it has a regolith. This value for albedo/diameter is consistent with radar results.     

Mineralogical characterization of Baptistina Asteroid Family: Implications for K/T impactor source

Bottke et al. [Bottke, W.F., Vokrouhlicky, D., Nesvorný, D., 2007. Nature 449, 48–53] linked the catastrophic formation of Baptistina Asteroid Family (BAF) to the K/T impact event. This linkage was based on dynamical and compositional evidence, which suggested the impactor had a composition similar to CM2 carbonaceous chondrites. However, our recent study [Reddy, V., Emery, J.P., Gaffey, M.J., Bottke, W.F., Cramer, A., Kelley, M.S., 2009. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 44, 1917–1927] suggests that the composition of (298) Baptistina is similar to LL-type ordinary chondrites rather than CM2 carbonaceous chondrites. This rules out any possibility of it being related to the source of the K/T impactor, if the impactor was of CM-type composition. Mineralogical study of asteroids in the vicinity of BAF has revealed a plethora of compositional types suggesting a complex formation and evolution environment. A detailed compositional analysis of 16 asteroids suggests several distinct surface assemblages including ordinary chondrites (Gaffey SIV subtype), primitive achondrites (Gaffey SIII subtype), basaltic achondrites (Gaffey SVII subtype and V-type), and a carbonaceous chondrite. Based on our mineralogical analysis we conclude that (298) Baptistina is similar to ordinary chondrites (LL-type) based on olivine and pyroxene mineralogy and moderate albedo. S-type and V-type in and around the vicinity of BAF we characterized show mineralogical affinity to (8) Flora and (4) Vesta and could be part of their families. Smaller BAF asteroids with lower SNR spectra showing only a ‘single’ band are compositionally similar to (298) Baptistina and L/LL chondrites. It is unclear at this point why the silicate absorption bands in spectra of asteroids with formal family definition seem suppressed relative to background population, despite having similar mineralogy.     

Origin of the ten degree Solar System dust bands

The Solar System dust bands discovered by IRAS are toroidal distributions of dust particles with common proper inclinations. It is impossible for particles with high eccentricity (approximately 0.2 or greater) to maintain a near constant proper inclination as they precess, and therefore the dust bands must be composed of material having a low eccentricity, pointing to an asteroidal origin. The mechanism of dust band production could involve either a continual comminution of material associated with the major Hirayama asteroid families, the equilibrium model (Dermott et al. (1984) Nature 312, 505–509) or random disruptions in the asteroid belt of small, single asteroids (Sykes and Greenberg (1986) Icarus 65, 51–69). The IRAS observations of the zodiacal cloud from which the dust band profiles are isolated have excellent resolution, and the manner in which these profiles change around the sky should allow the origin of the bands, their radial extent, the size-frequency distribution of the material and the optical properties of the dust itself to be determined. The equilibrium model of the dust bands suggests Eos as the parent of the 10° band pair. Results from detailed numerical modeling of the 10° band pair are presented. It is demonstrated that a model composed of dust particles having mean semimajor axis, proper eccentricity and proper inclination equal to those of the Eos family member asteroids, but with a dispersion in proper inclination of 2.5°, produces a convincing match with observations. Indeed, it is impossible to reproduce the observed profiles of the 10° band pair without imposing such a dispersion on the dust band material. Since the dust band profiles are matched very well with Eos, Themis and Koronis type material alone, the result is taken as strong evidence in favor of the equilibrium model. The effects of planetary perturbations are included by imposing the appropriate forced elements on the dust particle orbits (these forced elements vary with heliocentric distance). A subsequent model in which material is allowed to populate the inner solar system by a Poynting-Robertson drag distribution is also constructed. A dispersion in proper inclination of 3.5° provides the best match with observations, but close examination of the model profiles reveals that they are slightly broader than the observed profiles. If the variation of the number density of asteroidal material with heliocentric distance r is given by an expression of the form 1/r^τ then these results indicate that γ < 1 compared with γ = 1 expected for a simple Poynting-Robertson drag distribution. This implies that asteroidal material is lost from the system as it spirals in towards the Sun, owing to interparticle collisions.     

The material of the interstellar dust and the surface of asteroids: A comparison of the spectral properties in the 0.3–1.1-μm range

From the data on bright stars of different spectral and luminosity classes from the 13-color photometry catalog, the selective extinction of light by the interstellar dust has been studied. The stars from the 1000-pc vicinity of the Sun were investigated. In the optical spectral range, the interstellar extinction curves show systematic deviations from the “λ^?1” law, which allows one to sort them into three types. The observed curves of the interstellar dust extinction were compared with the theoretical curves calculated from the reflectance spectra of the asteroids under the approximation of the Rayleigh particles. The calculated extinction curves for the surface material of D-type asteroids and the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite agree rather well with the observed curves of the interstellar extinction of the first type.