小行星的搜寻和定轨

本文简要介绍了与小行星有关的一些基本知识和在小行星搜寻方面的国际进展情况，侧重与ASTROD项目有关的内容。并介绍了与小行星定轨有关的网络资源。     

小行星中心简史

本文扼要介绍国际小行星中心的简史,同时也概括了小行星研究的历史,现状和展望。全文共13节:1.两个时期 2.19世纪的工作 3.计算研究所 4.小行星中心的创始5.理论天文研究所 6.用电子计算机计算摄动 7.小行星索引 8.迁往剑桥(美) 9.证认工作 10.小行星的编号 11.小行星的观测者 12.特殊小行星 13.展望未来。     

小行星网络数据库发展评述

评述了近年来国际上与小行星相关的网络数据库的发展概况和意义。概要介绍了小行星轨道数据库、小行星测光数据库、小行星红外数据库、近地小行星数据库和小行星综合数据库的开发成果和应用价值，以及基于小行星数据库的历表服务；展望了小行星网络数据库的发展趋势。     

埃尔塔宁小行星质量的下限估计

埃尔塔宁小行星是一颗２１５ 万年前在南太平洋撞击地球的小行星,它也是目前唯一的深海区与地球碰撞的小行星。根据埃尔塔宁号和Ｐｏｌａｒｓｔｅｒｎ 号海洋调查船在陨击海区勘查的小行星残骸分布密度,我们估计埃尔塔宁小行星质量为２ ．３ ×１０１３ｇ ,对应于它的直径为０ ．２３ 公里。这比Ｋｙｔｅ 等人（１９８８） 估计的质量小了１０ 倍,然而它更接近埃尔塔宁小行星撞击事件的实际情况,可以作为埃尔塔宁小行星质量下限和半径下限更合理的估计值。     

小行星与彗星—近地小行星,主带小行星和彗星之间相互关系探讨

小行星和彗星都是太阳系中的小天体,而近地小行星又是小行星中特殊的一类。近年来对近地小行星的观测和研究已全面开展,这已成为当今太阳系研究的前沿领域之一。本文初步探讨太阳系中不同小天体之间的关系:1.小行星与短周期彗星之间的关系;2.近地小行星与主带小行星和短周期彗星之间的关系。最近的观测研究表明某些小行星可能是由彗星演变来的,而某些近地小行星可能来源于主带小行星和死亡的彗核。     

近地小行星轨道演化的研究现状

近地小行星由于与地球的特殊关系为世人所瞩目, 对其研究始于５０ 年代, 近年来已成为太阳系动力学中的一个热门课题。全面地介绍了近年来关于近地小行星（ 小天体） 的研究状况, 包括对近地小行星轨道演化的研究方法和主要结果。阐明了在轨道演化过程中相应力学模型的选取、有关数值方法的引用以及积分步长变化的处理等具体问题, 并介绍了轨道长期共振的作用以及对这种共振的处理方法, 最后给出了根据目前研究所知的与地球轨道距离最近的一些小行星的轨道特征等。     

如何应对近地小行星撞地的威胁

2012年1月27日,一颗公共汽车大小的小行星与地球擦肩而过,距离地球最近时只有6万千米。这颗名为“2012BX34”的小行星位列20颗最接近地球的小行星之首。尽管它没有对地球造成威胁。但再次向地球人敲响了警钟,要加速研究如何防止近地小行星撞击地球的方法和技术了,因为小行星撞击地球是世界上四大突发巨大灾难之一,早晚有一天会撞击地球。     

短期威胁小行星

为更明确近地小行星撞击地球威胁的监测预警需求, 提出了"短期威胁小行星"的概念, 即未来100yr内可能对地球造成撞击威胁且等效直径大于10m的近地小行星. 以目前已发现的756颗短期威胁小行星为基础, 分析短期威胁小行星的轨道分布特点, 研究显示其与一般近地小行星的轨道分布存在差异, 短期威胁小行星的轨道半长轴更集中于1au, 轨道面更集中于黄道面. 基于近地小行星的数量模型, 初步建立了短期威胁小行星的数量估计模型, 并预估了未来100yr内存在撞击可能的短期威胁小行星的总体数量. 短期威胁小行星的特定研究对制定近地小行星搜巡监测策略有重要意义.     

飞行器近小行星轨道动力学的特点及研究意义

该文在介绍小行星及对其探测意义的基础上,以NEAR、Muses-C(Hayabusa)小行星探测器为例,重点分析了飞行器与小行星距离较近时(near asteroid)的动力学环境及其对环绕小行星飞行的飞行器设计的影响.并以旋转的二阶二次重力场和小行星Castalia为例,进一步阐述近小行星轨道动力学的一些特点和结论.此外,还给出了小行星探测的一些建议和设想.     

小天体离散元仿真软件的搭建与测试

小天体探测是当今太阳系探测的一大热点, 对小行星演化的研究有助于人们了解太阳系的起源. 演化研究的一项重要内容是小天体结构的演化, 即小天体在多种力学机制作用下自身形状与结构的演化. 在小天体碎石堆结构的假设之下, 一种比较常见的模拟小天体结构演化的方法是离散元仿真算法(Discrete Element Method, DEM), 目前国内外有数个团队开发了相关算法软件. 本文介绍了团队开发的《基于DEM仿真算法的多粒子系统模拟软件》的基础理论、实现方法以及加速算法, 并使用二体接触模型、声速传播仿真、小行星内部压强、小行星旋转稳定性仿真算例验证了算法的可靠性.     

Time to Perform the Physical Observations of Asteroids

The astrometric observations of asteroids are often performednear their opposition, where they have faster apparent motions andbrighter visual magnitudes. However, the physical observations ofasteroids (photometric and spectral) often require longer exposuretimes as well as brighter magnitudes for better signal-to-noiseratio, which are combined effects of both apparent moving speedsand visual magnitudes. We derive the equations of the apparentmotion of asteroid in geocentric ecliptic coordinates. Comparisonof the apparent magnitudes of asteroid at opposition and atstationary shows that the magnitude differences in the two casesare around 1 magnitude in average for most main belt asteroids,but are much larger for Near Earth Asteroids. Combining withcomparison of asteroid apparent motion, the proper time forasteroid physical observation in different cases are discussed.     

The Near-Earth Asteroid Size-Frequency Distribution: A Snapshot of the Lunar Impactor Size-Frequency Distribution

It is shown that the size-frequency distribution (SFD) of a time-averaged projectile population derived from the lunar crater SFD of Neukum and Ivanov (in Hazards Due to Comets and Asteroids (T. Gehrels, Ed.), 1994, pp. 359-416, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson) provides a convincing fit to the SFD of the current near-Earth asteroid (NEA) population, as deduced from the results of asteroid search programs. Our results suggest that the shape of the SFD of the impactor flux has remained in a steady state since the late heavy bombardment, so that the current NEA population can be viewed as a snapshot of the flux of impactors on the Moon. The number of bodies in the projectile population with diameters of 1 km or more is 700±130, which is in good agreement with recent estimates of the total number of NEAs in this size range. Our results imply that the contribution to the projectile flux from comets is small for diameters below 10 km.     

Stability of Surface Motion on a Rotating Ellipsoid

The dynamical environment on the surface of a rotating, massive ellipsoid is studied, with applications to surface motion on an asteroid. The analysis is performed using a combination of classical dynamics and geometrical analysis. Due to the small sizes of most asteroids, their shapes tend to differ from the classical spheroids found for the planets. The tri-axial ellipsoid model provides a non-trivial approximation of the gravitational potential of an asteroid and is amenable to analytical computation. Using this model, we study some properties of motion on the surface of an asteroid. We find all the equilibrium points on the surface of a rotating ellipsoid and we show that the stability of these points is intimately tied to the conditions for a Jacobi or MacLaurin ellipsoid of equilibria. Using geometrical analysis we can define global constraints on motion as a function of shape, rotation rate, and density, we find that some asteroids should have accumulation of material at their ends, while others should have accumulation of surface material at their poles. This study has implications for motion of a rover on an asteroid, and for the distribution of natural material on asteroids, and for a spacecraft hovering over an asteroid.     

Search for the 3.4-μm C-H Spectral Bands on Low-Albedo Asteroids

A report of the detection of the C-H hydrocarbon band complex at 3.4 μm in an asteroid spectrum, by D. P. Cruikshank and R. H. Brown (1987, Science238, 183-184) is not confirmed by recent data of higher quality. Spectra of the same asteroid and six other low-albedo asteroids do not show this feature, which if present would indicate the presence of hydrocarbons and might link these asteroids with certain classes of carbonaceous meteorites.     

Asteroid families: Recent results and present scenario

After several decades of frustrating results showing a generally poor agreement among different asteroid family classifications, recent studies based on high accuracy proper elements, as well as on objective statistical methods of cluster analysis have largely improved the situation. Now, a number of asteroid families have been recognized on the basis of different methods of cluster analysis, using asteroid proper elements data sets computed by means of different theories. For these reasons, they should be considered of very high reliability. Moreover, spectroscopic observations confirm in some cases these results, indicating surface compositions of the family members in agreement with a geochemically plausible parent body. However, in particular zones of the belt, like the Flora region, further efforts should be performed in order to establish the real consistence of the resulting clusterings of objects. In addition, the size distribution and the taxonomic types of some well established families seem to indicate particular features of the family sample when compared with the field objects. We recall that asteroid families, in the framework of asteroid collisional evolution, are of the highest importance for understanding the mechanisms of injection of fragments into the Earth-crossing zone through mean-motion and secular resonances and, as a consequence, for evaluating the impact rate on Earth of asteroidal objects.     

Small-Scale Topography of 433 Eros from Laser Altimetry and Imaging

The NEAR laser rangefinder (NLR) obtained more than 16 million range returns from asteroid 433 Eros. We present the first results from analyses of topographic profiles interpreted with the aid of simultaneous, boresighted images obtained by the NEAR multispectral imager (MSI). The location of the NLR boresight relative to that of MSI is determined by detailed correlations of ranging data and simultaneous images, including cases where the laser boresight slewed off and on the limb of the asteroid and cases where the laser illuminated a boulder close to the time of an image. In the data presented, the precision of the range measurements is about 1 m, with the minimum spot diameter under 5 m, and successive spots are contiguous or overlapping. Elevation on the irregular object Eros is given with respect to the gravitational and centrifugal potential. Landslides in craters are characterized. Possible crater benches are identified. Examples of infilled craters are presented. These observations suggest a depth of unconsolidated regolith, which is subject to sliding, of typically a few tens of meters. An example of structurally controlled cratering is presented. Examples of tectonic features are described. Surface roughness on Eros is approximately self-affine from scales of a few meters to hundreds of meters. A comparison of fractal statistics shows that Eros is extremely rough on observed scales, when compared to terrestrial a'a lava on submeter scales and undisturbed lunar regolith on subcentimeter scales.     

Exterior gravitation of a polyhedron derived and compared with harmonic and mascon gravitation representations of asteroid 4769 Castalia

The exterior gravitation of a constant-density polyhedron is derived analytically in closed form. Expressions for potential, attraction, and gravity gradient matrix involve one logarithm term per edge and one arctangent term per face, The Laplacian can be used to determine whether a field point is inside or outside the polyhedron, This polyhedral method is well suited to evaluating the gravitational field of an irregularly shaped body such as an asteroid or comet, Conventional harmonic and mascon potential and attraction expressions suffer large errors when evaluated close to a polyhedral model of asteroid 4769 Castalia.     

A survey of orbits of co-orbitals of Mars

Many asteroids with a semimajor axis close to that of Mars have been discovered in the last several years. Potentially some of these could be in 1:1 resonance with Mars, much as are the classic Trojan asteroids with Jupiter, and its lesser-known horseshoe companions with Earth. In the 1990s, two Trojan companions of Mars, 5261 Eureka and 1998 VF₃₁, were discovered, librating about the L₅ Lagrange point, 60° behind Mars in its orbit. Although several other potential Mars Trojans have been identified, our orbital calculations show only one other known asteroid, 1999 UJ₇, to be a Trojan, associated with the L₄ Lagrange point, 60° ahead of Mars in its orbit. We further find that asteroid 36017 (1999 ND₄₃) is a horseshoe librator, alternating with periods of Trojan motion. This asteroid makes repeated close approaches to Earth and has a chaotic orbit whose behavior can be confidently predicted for less than 3000 years. We identify two objects, 2001 HW₁₅ and 2000 TG₂, within the resonant region capable of undergoing what we designate “circulation transition”, in which objects can pass between circulation outside the orbit of Mars and circulation inside it, or vice versa. The eccentricity of the orbit of Mars appears to play an important role in circulation transition and in horseshoe motion. Based on the orbits and on spectroscopic data, the Trojan asteroids of Mars may be primordial bodies, while some co-orbital bodies may be in a temporary state of motion.     

CCD Photometry of Asteroid （147） Protogeneia

We measured the light-curve of the asteroid (147) Protogeneia in November 2004, with a CCD detector attached to the 1-meter telescope at the Yunnan Observatory, China. The synodic period and maximum amplitude of (147) at this apparition are 7.852 hours and 0.25 mag, respectively. The value of a/b for (147), from a preliminary estimation, is not less than 1.26:1.     

Singularly weighted symplectic forms and applications to asteroid motion

New techniques to study Hamiltonian systems with Hamiltonian forcing are proposed. They are based on singularly weighted symplectic forms and transformations which preserve these forms. Applications pertaining to asteroid motion are outlined. These involve the presence of both Jupiter and Saturn.