|
|||||
|
|
First fragment of Asteroid 4 Vesta’s mantle detected |
|
| Authors: | Vishnu Reddy Andreas Nathues Michael J. Gaffey |
| Affiliation: | a Department of Space Studies, Room 520, Box 9008, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA b Max-Planck Institute for Solar System Research, 37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany c Department of Space Studies, Room 518, Box 9008, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA |
| Abstract: | We report the first detection of a fragment of Asteroid (4) Vesta’s mantle in the near-Earth and main belt Vestoid populations. The near-infrared (NIR) spectrum of near-Earth Asteroid (237442) 1999 TA10 shows band parameters, and inferred surface mineralogy, and pyroxene chemistry, similar to diogenite meteorites, which are believed to be fragments of (4) Vesta’s upper mantle. This strongly indicates that the impact that led to the excavation of 1999 TA10 was deep enough to sample Vesta’s upper mantle and provides constraints on Vesta’s internal structure that can be verified by the Dawn mission. |
| Keywords: | Asteroid Vesta Near-Earth objects Planetary formation Spectroscopy |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ | |