Discovery of an asteroid and quasi‐satellite in an Earth‐like horseshoe orbit

Abstract— The newly discovered asteroid 2002 AA₂₉ moves in a very Earth‐like orbit that relative to Earth has a unique horseshoe shape and allows transitions to a quasi‐satellite state. This is the first body known to be in a simple heliocentric horseshoe orbit, moving along its parent planet's orbit. It is similarly also the first true co‐orbital object of Earth, since other asteroids in 1:1 resonance with Earth have orbits very dissimilar from that of our planet. When a quasi‐satellite, it remains within 0.2 AU of the Earth for several decades. 2002 AA₂₉ is the first asteroid known to exhibit this behavior. 2002 AA₂₉ introduces an important new class of objects offering potential targets for space missions and clues to asteroid orbit transfer evolution.     

Salt crystallization in pores: quantification and estimation of damage

The objective of this study is to understand and predict the alteration of porous rock by crystallization of salts. Samples of different rocks have been tested according to the EN 12370 standard test. Two parameters are proposed to evaluate the alteration of a rock during these tests. The alteration index AI represents the cycle in which the first damages occur. The alteration velocity AV represents the alteration rate at the end of the experiment, when the decay has become regular. These parameters can be estimated with the help of a microstructural study of the rocks. The most relevant intrinsic parameters of the stones for this estimation are capillary coefficient, evaporation coefficient, tensile strength and P-waves velocity. An evaluation of the alteration pattern is also proposed depending on the eventual heterogeneities and anisotropies of the rocks. The influence of the dimension and shape of the samples is also discussed.     

Analysis of radio astronomy bands using CALLISTO spectrometer at Malaysia-UKM station

The e-CALLISTO system is a worldwide network that aims to observe solar radio emission for astronomical science. CALLISTO instruments have been deployed worldwide in various locations that together can provide continuous observation of the solar radio spectrum for 24 h per day year-round. Malaysia-UKM is a strategic equatorial location and can observe the Sun 12 h per day. This paper gives an overview of the spectrum allocation for radio astronomy, which falls in the specified operating frequency band of the CALLISTO spectrometer. The radio astronomy bands are analyzed at the Malaysia-UKM station according to the International Telecommunication Union recommendations. Some observational results are also presented in this paper.     

Attaining m s<Superscript>−1</Superscript> level intrinsic Doppler precision with RHEA,a low-cost single-mode spectrograph

We present RHEA, a compact and inexpensive single-mode spectrograph which is built to exploit the capabilities of modest-sized telescopes in an economic way. The instrument is fed by up to seven optical waveguides with the aim of achieving an efficient and modal-noise-free unit, suitable for attaining extreme Doppler precision. The cross-dispersed layout features a wavelength coverage from 430–650 nm, with spectral resolution of R ～75,000. When coupled to small telescopes using fast tip/tilt control, our instrument is well-suited to sensitive spectroscopy. Example science cases are accurate radial velocity studies of low to intermediate-mass giant stars with the purpose of searching for giant plants and using asteroseismology to simultaneously measure the host star parameters. In this paper we describe the final instrument design and present first results from testing the internal stability.     

An analytical approach to retrieve the effects of a non-coplanar disturbing body

The determination of analytical expressions which, including the main perturbative effects, allow the retrieval of the orbit elements of a probe represents an important requirement in designing science trajectories. One of these perturbations is given by the third body attraction. The case in which the perturbing body moves on a plane coincident with the equatorial plane of the primary body has been investigated in previous studies and equations able to provide the temporal evolution of the orbit elements have been determined and applied to the main moons of the Solar System. In this paper an extension of this topic has been carried out and equations which allow the determination of the orbit evolution have been analytically retrieved in the general case in which one or more perturbing bodies describe elliptical and inclined orbits with respect to the equatorial plane of the primary. Then, introducing these equations into the periodicity condition for the probe ground track, and considering the \(J_{2}\) and \(J_{4}\) effects coming from the primary body, an equation able to provide repeating ground track orbits has been determined.     

Strontium and neodymium isotope systematics of target rocks and impactites from the El'gygytgyn impact structure: Linking impactites and target rocks

The 3.6 Ma El'gygytgyn structure, located in northeastern Russia on the Chukotka Peninsula, is an 18 km diameter complex impact structure. The bedrock is formed by mostly high‐silica volcanic rocks of the ~87 Ma old Okhotsk‐Chukotka Volcanic Belt (OCVB). Volcanic target rocks and impact glasses collected on the surface, as well as drill core samples of bedrock and impact breccias have been investigated by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) to obtain new insights into the relationships between these lithologies in terms of Nd and Sr isotope systematics. Major and trace element data for impact glasses are added to compare with the composition of target rocks and drill core samples. Sr isotope data are useful tracers of alteration processes and Nd isotopes reveal characteristics of the magmatic sources of the target rocks, impact breccias, and impact glasses. There are three types of target rocks mapped on the surface: mafic volcanics, dacitic tuff and lava of the Koekvun’ Formation, and dacitic to rhyolitic ignimbrite of the Pykarvaam Formation. The latter represents the main contributor to the impact rocks. The drill core is divided into a suevite and a bedrock section by the Sr isotope data, for which different postimpact alteration regimes have been detected. Impact glasses from the present‐day surface did not suffer postimpact hydrothermal alteration and their data indicate a coherent alteration trend in terms of Sr isotopes with the target rocks from the surface. Surprisingly, the target rocks do not show isotopic coherence with the Central Chukotka segment of the OCVB or with the Berlozhya magmatic assemblage (BMA), a late Jurassic felsic volcanic suite that crops out in the eastern part of the central Chukotka segment of the OCVB. However, concordance for these rocks exists with the Okhotsk segment of the OCVB. This finding argues for variable source magmas having contributed to the build‐up of the OCVB.     

Nondestructive spectroscopic and petrochemical investigations of Paleoarchean spherule layers from the ICDP drill core BARB5, Barberton Mountain Land,South Africa

A Paleoarchean impact spherule‐bearing interval of the 763 m long International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) drill core BARB5 from the lower Mapepe Formation of the Fig Tree Group, Barberton Mountain Land (South Africa) was investigated using nondestructive analytical techniques. The results of visual observation, infrared (IR) spectroscopic imaging, and micro‐X‐ray fluorescence (μXRF) of drill cores are presented. Petrographic and sedimentary features, as well as major and trace element compositions of lithologies from the micrometer to kilometer‐scale, assisted in the localization and characterization of eight spherule‐bearing intervals between 512.6 and 510.5 m depth. The spherule layers occur in a strongly deformed section between 517 and 503 m, and the rocks in the core above and below are clearly less disturbed. The μXRF element maps show that spherule layers have similar petrographic and geochemical characteristics but differences in (1) sorting of two types of spherules and (2) occurrence of primary minerals (Ni‐Cr spinel and zircon). We favor a single impact scenario followed by postimpact reworking, and subsequent alteration. The spherule layers are Al₂O₃‐rich and can be distinguished from the Al₂O₃‐poor marine sediments by distinct Al‐OH absorption features in the short wave infrared (SWIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Infrared images can cover tens to hundreds of square meters of lithologies and, thus, may be used to search for Al‐OH‐rich spherule layers in Al₂O₃‐poor sediments, such as Eoarchean metasediments, where the textural characteristics of the spherule layers are obscured by metamorphism.     

Target rocks,impact glasses,and melt rocks from the Lonar crater,India: Highly siderophile element systematics and Sr‐Nd‐Os isotopic signatures

The Lonar crater is a ~0.57‐Myr‐old impact structure located in the Deccan Traps of the Indian peninsula. It probably represents the best‐preserved impact structure hosted in continental flood basalts, providing unique opportunities to study processes of impact cratering in basaltic targets. Here we present highly siderophile element (HSE) abundances and Sr‐Nd and Os isotope data for target basalts and impactites (impact glasses and impact melt rocks) from the Lonar area. These tools may enable us to better constrain the interplay of a variety of impact‐related processes such as mixing, volatilization, and contamination. Strontium and Nd isotopic compositions of impactites confirm and extend earlier suggestions about the incorporation of ancient basement rocks in Lonar impactites. In the Re‐Os isochron plot, target basalts exhibit considerable scatter around a 65.6 Myr Re‐Os reference isochron, most likely reflecting weathering and/or magma replenishment processes. Most impactites plot at distinctly lower ¹⁸⁷Re/¹⁸⁸Os and ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratios compared to the target rocks and exhibit up to two orders of magnitude higher abundances of Ir, Os, and Ru. Moreover, the impactites show near‐chondritic interelement ratios of HSE. We interpret our results in terms of an addition of up to 0.03% of a chondritc component to most impact glasses and impact melt rocks. The magnitude of the admixture is significantly lower than the earlier reported 12–20 wt% of extraterrestrial component for Lonar impact spherules, reflecting the typical difference in the distribution of projectile component between impact glass spherules and bulk impactites.