Numerical Simulation of the Orbital Evolution of Near-Earth Asteroids Close to Mean Motion Resonances

The dynamics of near-Earth asteroids near mean motion resonances with the Earth or other planets is considered. The probability domains of the motion of some near-Earth asteroids close to low-order resonances are presented. The investigations have been carried out by means of a numerical integration of differential equations, taking into account the perturbations from the major planets and the Moon. For each investigated object an ensemble of 100 test particles with orbital elements nearby those of the nominal orbit has been constructed and its evolution has been retraced over the time interval (–3000, +3000 years). The initial set of orbits has been generated on the basis of probable variations of the initial orbital elements obtained from the least square analysis of observations.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Composition of the L5 Mars Trojans: Neighbors, not siblings

Mars is the only terrestrial planet known to have Trojan (co-orbiting) asteroids, with a confirmed population of at least 4 objects. The origin of these objects is not known; while several have orbits that are stable on Solar System timescales, work by Rivkin et al. [Rivkin, A.S., Binzel, R.P., Howell, E.S., Bus, S.J., Grier, J.A., 2003. Icarus 165, 349–354] showed they have compositions that suggest separate origins from one another. We have obtained infrared (0.8–2.5 μm) spectroscopy of the two largest L5 Mars Trojans, and confirm and extend the results of Rivkin et al. We suggest that the differentiated angrite meteorites are good spectral analogs for 5261 Eureka, the largest Mars Trojan. Meteorite analogs for 101429 1998 VF31 are more varied and include primitive achondrites and mesosiderites.     

Dust Production from the Hypervelocity Impact Disruption of Hydrated Targets

More than half of the C-type asteroids, which are 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, 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 impact disruption experiments of three “greenstone” targets, a hydrothermally metamorphosed basalt, and compared the results of these disruptions to our previous disruption experiments on porous, anhydrous basalt targets and to literature data on the disruption of non-porous, anhydrous basalt targets. The greenstone targets were selected because their major hydrous alteration phase is serpentine, the same hydrous alteration phase found in hydrous CM meteorites, like Murchison. The porous, anhydrous basalt targets were selected because their structure, consisting of millimeter-size olivine phenocrysts in a more porous, anhydrous matrix is similar to the structure of anhydrous chondritic meteorites, which consist of millimeter-size olivine chondrules embedded in a more porous, anhydrous matrix. The disruption measurements indicate the threshold collisional specific energy, Q _D^*, is 570 J/kg for the greenstone, which is lower than the literature values for non-porous basalt targets, and significantly lower than the value of 2500 J/kg that we have measured for porous anhydrous basalt targets. We determined the mass-frequency distribution of the debris from the disruption of the greenstone targets, which ranged in mass from 80 to 280 g, over a nine order-of-magnitude mass range, from ~10⁻⁹ g to the mass of the largest fragment. The cumulative mass-frequency distribution from the greenstone targets is fit by two power–law segments, one for masses >10⁻² g, which is significantly steeper than the corresponding segment from the disruption of similar-sized anhydrous basalt, and one in the range from 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻² g, which is significantly flatter than the corresponding segment from the disruption of similar size anhydrous basalt. These hydrous greenstone targets overproduce small fragments (10⁻⁴ to 10⁰ g) compared to anhydrous basalt targets, but underproduce dust-size grains (10⁻⁹ to 10⁻⁴ g) compared to anhydrous basalt targets.     

Quantified mineralogical evidence for a common origin of 1929 Kollaa with 4 Vesta and the HED meteorites

In this paper, we present the first correlation of derived mineral abundances of V-class Asteroid 1929 Kollaa, 4 Vesta, and the HED meteorites. We demonstrate that 1929 Kollaa has a basaltic composition consistent with an origin within the crustal layer of 4 Vesta, and show a plausible genetic connection between Kollaa and the cumulate eucrite meteorites. These data support the proposed delivery mechanism of HED meteorites to the Earth from Vesta, and provide the first mineralogical constraint derived from the observation of a small V-class, Vesta family asteroid on the crustal thickness of 4 Vesta.     

The global effects of impact-induced seismic activity on fractured asteroid surface morphology

Impact-induced seismic vibrations have long been suspected of being an important surface modification process on small satellites and asteroids. In this study, we use a series of linked seismic and geomorphic models to investigate the process in detail. We begin by developing a basic theory for the propagation of seismic energy in a highly fractured asteroid, and we use this theory to model the global vibrations experienced on the surface of an asteroid following an impact. These synthetic seismograms are then applied to a model of regolith resting on a slope, and the resulting downslope motion is computed for a full range of impactor sizes. Next, this computed downslope regolith flow is used in a morphological model of impact crater degradation and erasure, showing how topographic erosion accumulates as a function of time and the number of impacts. Finally, these results are applied in a stochastic cratering model for the surface of an Eros-like body (same volume and surface area as the asteroid), with craters formed by impacts and then erased by the effects of superposing craters, ejecta coverage, and seismic shakedown. This simulation shows good agreement with the observed 433 Eros cratering record at a Main Belt exposure age of 400±200 Myr, including the observed paucity of small craters. The lowered equilibrium numbers (loss rate = production rate) for craters less than ∼100 m in diameter is a direct result of seismic erasure, which requires less than a meter of mobilized regolith to reproduce the NEAR observations. This study also points to an upper limit on asteroid size for experiencing global, surface-modifying, seismic effects from individual impacts of about 70-100 km (depending upon asteroid seismic properties). Larger asteroids will experience only localized (regional) seismic effects from individual impacts.     

Dust transport in photoelectron layers and the formation of dust ponds on Eros

We investigate the electrostatic transport of charged dust in the photoelectron layer over the dayside surface of an asteroid. Micron-sized dust particles may be levitated above the surface in the photoelectron layer. Horizontal transport within the layer can then lead to net deposition of dust into shadowed regions where the electric field due to the photoelectron layer disappears. We apply a 2D numerical model simulating charged dust dynamics in the near-surface daytime plasma environment of Asteroid 433 Eros to the formation of dust deposits in craters. We find that dust tends to collect in craters and regions of shadow. This electrostatic dust transport mechanism may contribute to the formation of smooth dust ponds observed by the NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft at Eros. The size distribution of transported dust depends on the particle density and work function, and the work function of the surface and solar wind electron temperature and density. With reasonable values for these parameters, μm-sized and smaller particles are levitated at Eros. Micrometeoroid bombardment is not a sufficient source mechanism for electrostatic transport to create the Eros dust ponds. Laboratory measurements of dust in a plasma sheath show that dust launched off the surface by direct electrostatic levitation can provide a sufficient source for transport to produce the observed Eros ponds.     

Constraining near-Earth object albedos using near-infrared spectroscopy

Low-albedo near-Earth objects (NEOs) are warm enough to emit detectable thermal flux at 2.5 μm when near perihelion. Thermal radiation can account for 33% or more of the total flux for an object with an albedo ?0.04 at 1.0 AU. This is measurable using near-infrared spectroscopic instruments enabling albedos to be constrained for a larger sample of NEOs.     

Bounds on Rotation Periods of Disrupted Binaries in the Full 2-Body Problem

Constraints on the final rotation rates of a Hill unstable binary in the full 2-body problem are derived and analyzed. Application of these constraints are made to the problem of a constant density body spun to disruption. This analysis has relevance to the evolution of asteroid spin rates. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

两个可能存在大质量类冥王星的区域

1992年以来，在海王星外的太阳系发现了近千个小天体，称为Kuiper带天体(KBO)或Edgeworth—Kuiper带天体，其中有一部分偏心率和倾角较大的小天体与海王星之间存在3：2平运动共振，轨道特征类似冥王星，命名为类冥王星，自KBO发现以来，天文学家们进行了多次小天区的搜索，发现了几个质量较大的KBO，通过数值计算，在轨道参数空间发现了两个和冥王星一样同时具有3种共振的区域，在这两个区域里的小天体既避免了海王星的强摄动又不会与冥王星密切交会，轨道非常稳定，因此有可能在其中发现质量较大的类冥王星。