Visible spectroscopic and photometric survey of Jupiter Trojans: Final results on dynamical families

We present the results of a visible spectroscopic and photometric survey of Jupiter Trojans belonging to different dynamical families. The survey was carried out at the 3.5 m New Technology Telescope (NTT) of the European Southern Observatory (La Silla, Chile) in April 2003, May 2004 and January 2005. We obtained data on 47 objects, 23 belonging to the L5 swarm and 24 to the L4 one. These data together with those already published by Fornasier et al. [Fornasier, S., Dotto, E., Marzari, F., Barucci, M.A., Boehnhardt, H., Hainaut, O., de Bergh, C., 2004a. Icarus 172, 221-232] and Dotto et al. [Dotto, E., Fornasier, S., Barucci, M.A., Licandro, J., Boehnhardt, H., Hainaut, O., Marzari, F., de Bergh, C., De Luise, F., 2006. Icarus 183, 420-434], acquired since November 2002, constitute a total sample of visible spectra for 80 objects. The survey allows us to investigate six families (Aneas, Anchises, Misenus, Phereclos, Sarpedon, Panthoos) in the L5 cloud and four L4 families (Eurybates, Menelaus, 1986 WD and 1986 TS6). The sample that we measured is dominated by D-type asteroids, with the exception of the Eurybates family in the L4 swarm, where there is a dominance of C- and P-type asteroids. All the spectra that we obtained are featureless with the exception of some Eurybates members, where a drop-off of the reflectance is detected shortward of 5200 Å. Similar features are seen in main belt C-type asteroids and commonly attributed to the intervalence charge transfer transition in oxidized iron. Our sample comprises fainter and smaller Trojans as compared to the literature's data and allows us to investigate the properties of objects with estimated diameter smaller than 40-50 km. The analysis of the spectral slopes and colors versus the estimated diameters shows that the blue and red objects have indistinguishable size distribution, so any relationship between size and spectral slopes has been found. To fully investigate the Trojans population, we include in our analysis 62 spectra of Trojans available in literature, resulting in a total sample of 142 objects. Although the mean spectral behavior of L4 and L5 Trojans is indistinguishable within the uncertainties, we find that the L4 population is more heterogeneous and that it has a higher abundance of bluish objects as compared to the L5 swarm. Finally, we perform a statistical investigation of the Trojans's spectra property distributions as a function of their orbital and physical parameters, and in comparison with other classes of minor bodies in the outer Solar System. Trojans at lower inclination appear significantly bluer than those at higher inclination, but this effect is strongly driven by the Eurybates family. The mean colors of the Trojans are similar to those of short period comets and neutral Centaurs, but their color distributions are different.     

Discovering New V-Type Asteroids in the Vicinity of 4 Vesta

We present results on the identification of two new V-type asteroids, 809 Lundia and 956 Elisa. These asteroids are located in the neighborhood of Asteroid 4 Vesta, but they do not belong to Vesta's dynamical family. Their spectra in the visible wavelength are consistent with the spectra of the Vesta family members (Vestoids) and of other V-type objects in the nearby region too. The possible existence of two spectroscopic groups of V-type asteroids in the Vesta region is discussed.     

High‐calcium pyroxene as an indicator of igneous differentiation in asteroids and meteorites

Abstract— Our analyses of high quality spectra of several S‐type asteroids (17 Thetis, 847 Agnia, 808 Merxia, and members of the Agnia and Merxia families) reveal that they include both low‐ and high‐calcium pyroxene with minor amounts of olivine (<20%). In addition, we find that these asteroids have ratios of high‐calcium pyroxene to total pyroxene of >～0.4. High‐calcium pyroxene is a spectrally detectable and petrologically important indicator of igneous history and may prove critical in future studies aimed at understanding the history of asteroidal bodies. The silicate mineralogy inferred for Thetis and the Merxia and Agnia family members requires that these asteroids experienced igneous differentiation, producing broadly basaltic surface lithologies. Together with 4 Vesta (and its smaller “Vestoid” family members) and the main‐belt asteroid 1489 Magnya, these new asteroids provide strong evidence for igneous differentiation of at least five asteroid parent bodies. Based on this analysis of a small subset of the near‐infrared asteroid spectra taken to date with SpeX at the NASA IRTF, we expect that the number of known differentiated asteroids will increase, consistent with the large number of parent bodies inferred from studies of iron meteorites.     

A peculiar family of Jupiter Trojans: The Eurybates

The Eurybates family is a compact core inside the Menelaus clan, located in the L₄ swarm of Jupiter Trojans. Fornasier et al. (Fornasier, S., Dotto, E., Hainaut, O., Marzari, F., Boehnhardt, H., De Luise, F., Barucci, M.A. [2007]. Icarus 190, 622-642) found that this family exhibits a peculiar abundance of spectrally flat objects, similar to Chiron-like Centaurs and C-type main belt asteroids. On the basis of the visible spectra available in literature, Eurybates family’s members seemed to be good candidates for having on their surfaces water/water ice or aqueous altered materials.To improve our knowledge of the surface composition of this peculiar family, we carried out an observational campaign at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG), obtaining near-infrared spectra of 7 members. Our data show a surprisingly absence of any spectral feature referable to the presence of water, ices or aqueous altered materials on the surface of the observed objects. Models of the surface composition are attempted, evidencing that amorphous carbon seems to dominate the surface composition of the observed bodies and some amount of silicates (olivine) could be present.     

Physical properties and orbital stability of the Trojan asteroids

All the Trojan asteroids orbit about the Sun at roughly the same heliocentric distance as Jupiter. Differences in the observed visible reflection spectra range from neutral to red, with no ultra-red objects found so far. Given that the Trojan asteroids are collisionally evolved, a certain degree of variability is expected. Additionally, cosmic radiation and sublimation are important factors in modifying icy surfaces even at those large heliocentric distances. We search for correlations between physical and dynamical properties, we explore relationships between the following four quantities; the normalised visible reflectivity indexes (S^′), the absolute magnitudes, the observed albedos and the orbital stability of the Trojans. We present here visible spectroscopic spectra of 25 Trojans. This new data increase by a factor of about 5 the size of the sample of visible spectra of Jupiter Trojans on unstable orbits. The observations were carried out at the ESO-NTT telescope (3.5 m) at La Silla, Chile, the ING-WHT (4.2 m) and NOT (2.5 m) at Roque de los Muchachos observatory, La Palma, Spain. We have found a correlation between the size distribution and the orbital stability. The absolute-magnitude distribution of the Trojans in stable orbits is found to be bimodal, while the one of the unstable orbits is unimodal, with a slope similar to that of the small stable Trojans. This supports the hypothesis that the unstable objects are mainly byproducts of physical collisions. The values of S^′ of both the stable and the unstable Trojans are uniformly distributed over a wide range, from 0%/1000 Å to about 15%/1000 Å. The values for the stable Trojans tend to be slightly redder than the unstable ones, but no significant statistical difference is found.     

Yarkovsky footprints in the Eos family

The Eos asteroid family is the third most populous, after Themis and Koronis, and one of the largest non-random groups of asteroids in the main belt. It has been known and studied for decades, but its structure and history still presented difficulties to understand. We first revise the Eos family identification as a statistical cluster in the space of proper elements. Using the most to-date catalogue of proper elements we determine a nominal Eos family, defined by us using the hierarchical-clustering method with the cut-off velocity of 55 m/s, contains some 4400 members. This unforeseen increase in known Eos asteroids allows us to perform a much more detailed study than was possible so far. We show, in particular, that most of the previously thought peculiar features are explained within the following model: (i) collisional disruption of the parent body leads to formation of a compact family in the proper element space (with characteristic escape velocities of the observed asteroids of tens of meters per second, compatible with hydrocode simulations), and (ii) as time goes, the family dynamically evolves due to a combination of the thermal effects and planetary perturbations. This model allows us to explain sharp termination of the family at the J7/3 mean motion resonance with Jupiter, uneven distribution of family members about the J9/4 mean motion resonance with Jupiter, semimajor axis distribution of large vs small members in the family and anomalous residence of Eos members inside the high-order secular resonance z₁. Our dynamical method also allows us to estimate Eos family age to . Several formal members of the Eos family are in conflict with our model and these are suspected interlopers. We use spectroscopic observations, whose results are also reported here, and results of 5-color wide-band Sloan Digital Sky Survey photometry to prove some of them are indeed spectrally incompatible with the family.     

Orbital evolution of the Gefion and Adeona asteroid families: close encounters with massive asteroids and the Yarkovsky effect

Asteroid families are groupings of minor planets identified by clustering in their proper orbital elements; these objects have spectral signatures consistent with an origin in the break-up of a common parent body. From the current values of proper semimajor axes a of family members one might hope to estimate the ejection velocities with which the fragments left the putative break-up event (assuming that the pieces were ejected isotropically). However, the ejection velocities so inferred are consistently higher than N-body and hydro-code simulations, as well as laboratory experiments, suggest. To explain this discrepancy between today’s orbital distribution of asteroid family members and their supposed launch velocities, we study whether asteroid family members might have been ejected from the collision at low speeds and then slowly drifted to their current positions, via one or more dynamical processes. Studies show that the proper a of asteroid family members can be altered by two mechanisms: (i) close encounters with massive asteroids, and (ii) the Yarkovsky non-gravitational effect. Because the Yarkovsky effect for kilometer-sized bodies decreases with asteroid diameter D, it is unlikely to have appreciably moved large asteroids (say those with D > 15 km) over the typical family age (1-2 Gyr).For this reason, we numerically studied the mobility of family members produced by close encounters with main-belt, non-family asteroids that were thought massive enough to significantly change their orbits over long timescales. Our goal was to learn the degree to which perturbations might modify the proper a values of all family members, including those too large to be influenced by the Yarkovsky effect. Our initial simulations demonstrated immediately that very few asteroids were massive enough to significantly alter relative orbits among family members. Thus, to maximize gravitational perturbations in our 500-Myr integrations, we investigated the effect of close encounters on two families, Gefion and Adeona, that have high encounter probabilities with 1 Ceres, by far the largest asteroid in the main belt. Our results show that members of these families spreads in a of less than 5% since their formation. Thus gravitational interactions cannot account for the large inferred escape velocities.The effect of close encounters with massive asteroids is, however, not entirely negligible. For about 10% of the simulated bodies, close encounters increased the “inferred” ejection velocities from sub-100 m/s to values greater than 100 m/s, beyond what hydro-code and N-body simulations suggest are the maximum possible initial ejection velocity for members of Adeona and Gefion with D > 15 km. Thus this mechanism of mobility may be responsible for the unusually high inferred ejection speeds of a few of the largest members of these two families.To understand the orbital evolution of the entire family, including smaller members, we also performed simulations to account for the drift of smaller asteroids caused by the Yarkovsky effect. Our two sets of simulations suggest that the two families we investigated are relatively young compared to larger families like Koronis and Themis, which have estimated ages of about 2 Byr. The Adeona and Gefion families seems to be no more than 600 and 850 Myr old, respectively.     

Mineralogical characterization of some basaltic asteroids in the neighborhood of (4) Vesta: first results

We present reflectance spectra of 19 V-type asteroids obtained at the 3.6 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo covering 0.8 to 2.5 μm. For 8 of these asteroids we obtained also visible spectra in the same observational run. The range from 0.8 to 2.5 μm, encompassing the 1 and 2 μm pyroxene features, allows a precise mineralogical characterization of these asteroids. The obtained data suggests the possible coexistence of distinct mineralogical groups among the V-type asteroids, either probing different layers of (4) Vesta or coming from different bodies. No clear correlation was found between mineralogies and the objects being, or not, member of the Vesta dynamical family.     

Spectroscopic observations of Jupiter Trojans

We present the results of a campaign of spectroscopic observations of Jupiter Trojan asteroids. Thirty-four objects were observed during three runs in July and November 1998, and March 2002 using the Danish 1.54-m telescope at ESO. The covered spectral range was between 5000 and 9000 Å. Our observations include objects belonging both L₄ to L₅ clouds. According to analyses of previous investigations of Trojans, the spectra of different taxonomic classes can be separated on the basis of the slope of the reflectance spectrum. The large majority of the objects of our sample have been found to belong to the D taxonomic class, but we found also objects of P- and C-type. In two cases, we found also evidence of blueish spectral trends. Our data are important, since they allow us to substantially enlarge the whole data set of available Trojan spectra.     

Volume and mass distribution in selected asteroid families

The main focus of this paper is calculation of the diameters of asteroids belonging to five families (Vesta, Eos, Eunomia, Koronis, and Themis). To do that, we used the HCM algorithm applied for a data set containing 292,003 numbered asteroids, and a numerical procedure for choosing the crucial parameter of the HCM, called “the cutting velocity” v_cut. It was established with a precision as high as 1 m s^?1. Thereafter, we used the WISE (Wide‐field Infrared Survey Explorer) catalog to set a range of albedo for the largest members of each family considered. The albedo data were supported by the data concerning color classification (SDSS MOC4). The asteroids with albedo out of this range were classified as interlopers and were therefore disqualified as family members. Sizes were calculated for the asteroids with albedo within the acceptable range. For the other asteroids (those chosen by means of the HCM, but with albedo not listed in the WISE), the value of albedo of the largest member of the family was adopted. Results are given in a set of figures showing the families on the planes (a, e), (a, i), (e, i). Diameters and volumes of the asteroids that are the individual members of a family were calculated on the basis of their known or assumed albedo and on their absolute magnitude. Volumes of the parent bodies of the families were found on the basis of the cumulative volume distribution of these families. We also studied the secular resonances of the family members. We have shown that the locations of members of the considered asteroid families are related to the lines of secular resonances z₁, z₂, and z₃ with Saturn.     

The shape distribution of asteroid families: Evidence for evolution driven by small impacts

A statistical analysis of brightness variability of asteroids reveals how their shapes evolve from elongated to rough spheroidal forms, presumably driven by impact-related phenomena. Based on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Moving Object Catalog, we determined the shape distribution of 11,735 asteroids, with special emphasis on eight prominent asteroid families. In young families, asteroids have a wide range of shape elongations, implying fragmentation-formation. In older families we see an increasing number of rough spheroids, in agreement with the predictions of an impact-driven evolution. Old families also contain a group of moderately elongated members, which we suggest correspond to higher-density, more impact-resistant cores of former fragmented asteroids that have undergone slow shape erosion. A few percent of asteroids have very elongated shapes, and can either be young fragments or tidally reshaped bodies. Our results confirm that the majority of asteroids are gravitationally bound “rubble piles.”     

Reanalysis of asteroid families structure through visible spectroscopy

The taxonomic properties of the main asteroid families are analyzed and discussed in the light of an updated definition of the families using a large proper elements database and the asteroids taxonomy derived from reflectance spectra recently obtained by two large visible spectroscopic surveys: the SMASS II and the S3OS2. Our analysis indicates that most families are quite homogeneous taxonomically and mineralogically—whenever there exists a mineralogical constraint—, being probably originated from homogeneous parent bodies. The exceptions are the Nysa family, that should likely be considered a clan, and the Eos family that encompasses a broad range of taxonomies, whose mineralogical relations cannot be completely ruled out. Only in a few cases the families may be taxonomically distinguished from the background population. That is the case of the Minerva/Gefion, Adeona, Dora, Merxia, Hoffmeister, Koronis, Eos, and Veritas families. Some of the families presented in this work show a larger spectral diversity than previously reported, as it is the case for the Maria and Koronis families. On the other hand, the Veritas family is found to be homogeneous, in sharp contrast with previous works. Mineralogical relations are reported whenever they could be found in the literature and we examine the possible constraints posed by the presence of different taxonomies in certain families.     

Near-infrared spectroscopy of primitive asteroid families

We compare 13 near-infrared (0.8-2.4 μm) spectra of two low albedo C complex outer-belt asteroid families: Themis and Veritas. The disruption ages of these two families lie at opposite extremes: 2.5 ± 1.0 Gyr and 8.7 ± 1.7 Myr, respectively. We found striking differences between the two families, which show a range of spectral shapes and slopes. The seven Themis family members (older surfaces) have “red” (positive) slopes in the 1.6-2.4 μm region; in contrast, the six Veritas members (younger surfaces) have significantly “flatter” slopes at these same wavelengths. Moreover, the two families are characterized by different concavity at shorter (1.0-1.5 μm) wavelengths with the Themis group being consistently flat or concave up (smile) and the Veritas group being consistently concave down (frown). Each family contains a broad range of diameters, suggesting our results are not due to comparisons of asteroids of different sizes. The statistically significant clustering of the two spectral groups could be explained by one of the following three possibilities or a combination of them: (1) space weathering effects, (2) differences in original composition, or (3) differences in thermal history perhaps as a result of the difference in parent body sizes. As a result of our analyses, we propose a new method to quantify broad and shallow structures in the spectra of primitive asteroids. We found reasonable matches between the observed asteroids and individual carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. Because these meteoritic fits represent fresh surfaces, space weathering is neither necessary nor ruled out as an explanation of spectral differences between families. The six Veritas family near-infrared (NIR) spectra represent the first NIR analysis of this family, thus significantly increasing our understanding of this family over these wavelengths.     

The surface composition of Jupiter Trojans: Visible and near-infrared survey of dynamical families

Asteroid dynamical families are supposed to be formed from the collisional disruption of parent bodies. As a consequence, the investigation of the surface properties of small and large family members may give some hints on the nature of the dynamical group, the internal composition of the parent body, and the role played by space weathering processes in modifying the spectral behavior of the members' surfaces. In this work we present visible-near-infrared observations of 24 Jupiter Trojans belonging to seven dynamical families of both the L4 and L5 swarms. The most important characteristics we found is the uniformity of the Trojans population. All the investigated Trojans have featureless spectra and a spectral behavior typical of the primitive P and D taxonomic classes. In particular, no signatures of water ice have been found on the spectra of these primordial bodies. From our investigation, the L4 and L5 clouds appear to be compositionally indistinguishable. Tentative models of the surface composition, based on the Hapke theory, are presented and discussed.     

Quasi-satellites of Jupiter

Two asteroids 2001 QQ199 and 2004 AE9 and two comets P/LINEAR-Catalina and P/LINEAR are found to be quasi-satellites of Jupiter at present time. The Tisserand parameters of these four bodies lie between 2.3 and 2.5, which means two asteroids might be Jupiter family comets and will show a cometary’s activity in the near future.     

K asteroids and CO3/CV3 chondrites

Abstract— Reflectance spectra from 0.44 to 1.65 μm were obtained for three K asteroids. These objects all have spectra consistent with olivine‐dominated assemblages whose absorption bands have been suppressed by opaques. The two observed Eos family members (221 Eos and 653 Berenike) are spectral analogs to the CO3 chondrite Warrenton. The other observed object (599 Luisa) is a spectral analog for CV3 chondrite Mokoia. These asteroids are all located near meteorite‐supplying resonances with the Eos family cut by the 9:4 resonance and Luisa is found near the 5:2 resonance. However, K asteroids have been identified throughout the main belt so it is difficult to rule out other possible parent bodies for the CO3 and CV3 chondrites.     

Flora小行星族自转特性研究

小行星族作为灾变碰撞的残留物,其基础物理性质提供了其母体以及后续演化信息.其中轨道以及自转特性分别反映了Yarkovsky效应以及Yarkovsky-O’Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack效应(YORP效应)对于小行星族演化的影响.基于小行星光变数据库(Asteroid Lightcurve Database),通过对Flora小行星族自转速率分布进行研究,发现随着直径减小,族成员自转速率倾向于主要集中在3–5 d^-1的范围内.同时,可以注意到Flora小行星族整体表现出更倾向于顺行自转状态的现象,但对于轨道半长轴小于2.2au的成员来说,其顺行自转与逆行自转状态成员数目比接近于近地小行星中顺逆行自转状态源1:3的比例;此外,对于轨道半长轴大于2.2 au且具有顺行自转状态的部分族成员,在轨道半长轴-绝对星等分布中表现出聚集现象,并在聚集区域中有9颗成员展现出类似Slivan状态特征.     

SOS: the visible spectroscopic survey of 820 asteroids

We present the results of a visible spectroscopic survey of 820 asteroids carried on between November 1996 and September 2001 at the 1.52 m telescope at ESO (La Silla). The instrumental set-up allowed an useful spectral range of about 4900 Å<λ<9200 Å. The global spatial distribution of the observed asteroids covers quite well all the region between 2.2 and 3.3 AU though some concentrations are apparent. These are due to the fact that several sub-sets of asteroids, such as families and groups, have been selected and studied during the development of the survey. The observed asteroids have been classified using the Tholen and the Bus taxonomies which, in general, agree quite well.     

The Flora Family: A Case of the Dynamically Dispersed Collisional Swarm?

Asteroid families are believed to originate by catastrophic disruptions of large asteroids. They are nowadays identified as clusters in the proper orbital elements space. The proper elements are analytically defined as constants of motion of a suitably simplified dynamical system. Indeed, they are generally nearly constant on a 10⁷-10⁸-year time scale. Over longer time intervals, however, they may significantly change, reflecting the accumulation of the tiny nonperiodic evolutions provided by chaos and nonconservative forces. The most important effects leading to a change of the proper orbital elements are (i) the chaotic diffusion in narrow mean motion resonances, (ii) the Yarkovsky nongravitational force, and (iii) the gravitational impulses received at close approaches with large asteroids. A natural question then arises: How are the size and shape of an asteroid family modified due to evolution of the proper orbital elements of its members over the family age? In this paper, we concentrate on the dynamical dispersion of the proper eccentricity and inclination, which occurs due to (i), but with the help of (ii) and (iii). We choose the Flora family as a model case because it is unusually dispersed in eccentricity and inclination and, being located in the inner main belt, is intersected by a large number of effective mean motion resonances with Mars and Jupiter. Our results suggest that the Flora family dynamically disperses on a few 10⁸-year time scale and that its age may be significantly less than 10⁹ years. We discuss the possibility that the parent bodies of the Flora family and of the ordinary L chondrite meteorites are the same object. In a broader sense, this work suggests that the common belief that the present asteroid families are simple images of their primordial dynamical structure should be revised.     

The shallow magnitude distribution of asteroid families

It is well known that asteroid families have steeper absolute magnitude (H) distributions for H < 12-13 values than the background population. Beyond this threshold, the shapes of the absolute magnitude distributions in the family/background populations are difficult to determine, primarily because both populations are not yet observationally complete. Using a recently generated catalog containing the proper elements of 106,284 main belt asteroids and an innovative approach, we debiased the absolute magnitude distribution of the major asteroid families relative to the local background populations. Our results indicate that the magnitude distributions of asteroid families are generally not steeper than those of the local background populations for H > 13 (i.e., roughly for diameters smaller than 10 km). In particular, most families have shallower magnitude distributions than the background in the range 15-17 mag. Thus, we conclude that, contrary to previous speculations, the population of kilometer-size asteroids in the main belt is dominated by background bodies rather than by members of the most prominent asteroid families. We believe this result explains why the Spacewatch, Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and Subaru asteroid surveys all derived a shallow magnitude distribution for the dimmer members of the main belt population.We speculate on a few dynamical and collisional scenarios that can explain this shallow distribution. One possibility is that the original magnitude distributions of the families (i.e., at the moment of the formation event) were very shallow for H larger than ∼ 13, and that most families have not yet had the time to collisionally evolve to the equilibrium magnitude distribution that presumably characterizes the background population. A second possibility is that family members smaller than about 10 km, eroded over time by collisional and dynamical processes, have not yet been repopulated by the break-up of larger family members. For this same reason, the older (and possibly characterized by a weaker impact strength) background population shows a shallow distribution in the range 15-60 km.