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At least 721 records · Page 40

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NASA NTRS1983

Nature of the Kirkwood gaps in the asteroid belt

It is demonstrated that the Kirkwood gaps are not merely regions of low asteroidal number density, but are regions in a-e-sin 1/2 I space where libration of some argument is possible. It is argued that neither the statistical nor the cosmogonic hypothesis of gap formation can account for these new observations. It is shown that the present distribution of asteroidal semimajor axes can be used to deduce the present semimajor axis of Jupiter to an accuracy of one part in five thousand. Thus, there has been very little change in the orbital period of Jupiter since the time of formation of the present gaps. This observation eliminates the possibility that the observed gaps were formed by resonance sweeping at the time of the dispersal of the accretion disk. It is concluded that the gaps have been formed by the gravitational action of Jupiter on individual asteroids and that gap formation has probably continued throughout the lifetime of the solar system.

Dermott, S. F.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Remarkable modification of light curves for shadowing effects on irregular surfaces - The case of the asteroid 37 Fides

Photometric observations of the asteroid 37 Fides carried out at four observatories are reported. The data were taken at phase angles ranging from approximately 2-23 deg. A composite of the light curves obtained revealed that, considering a period of 7.33 hr, the full cycle light curve exhibits one maximum and one minimum. An increase in brightness was observed following a primary minimum, a factor that indicated the cyclical appearance and disappearance of a large topographical feature. It is concluded that the 7.33 hr period is the rotational speed of the asteroid, in contrast with a previously held 14.66 hr rotational period. The method is concluded useful for identifying rotational periods of asteroids when only partial light curve data from different sources is available, and when the projections can be checked observationally.

Zappala, V.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Radar Investigations of Asteroids

Radar investigations of asteroids, including observations during 1984 to 1985 of at least 8 potential targets and continued analyses of radar data obtained during 1980 to 1984 for 30 other asteroids is proposed. The primary scientific objectives include estimation of echo strength, polarization, spectral shape, spectral bandwidth, and Doppler shift. These measurements yield estimates of target size, shape, and spin vector; place constraints on topography, morphology, density, and composition of the planetary surface; yield refined estimates of target orbital parameters; and reveals the presence of asteroidal satellites.

Ostro, S. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The composition of asteroid 2 Pallas and its relation to primitive meteorites

High resolution spectroscopic observations of asteroid 2 Pallas from 1.7-3.5 microns are reported. These data are combined with previous measurements from 0.4-1.7 microns to interpret Pallas' surface mineralogy. Evidence is found for low-Fe(2+) hydrated silicates, opaque components, and low Fe(2+) anhydrous silicates. This assemblage is very similar to carbonaceous chondrite matrix material such as is found in type CI and CM meteorites, but it has been subjected to substantial aqueous alteration and there is a major extraneous anhydrous silicate component. This composition is compared to that of asteroid 1 Ceres. Although there are substantial differences in their broad band spectral reflectances it appears that both asteroids are genetically related to know carbonaceous chondrites.

Larson, H. P.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Regions of stability of asteroids

Using Hill's modified stability criterion, regions of orbital elements are established for conditions of stability. The model of the three-dimensional restricted problem of three bodies is used with the sun and Jupiter as the primaries. Four different cases are studied: direct and retrograde, outside and inside asteroidal orbits. The directions of the asteroidal orbits refer to the synodical reference frame and the positions refer to Jupiter's orbit. The orbital parameters of the asteroids are the semi-major axis (a), the eccentricity (e), and the inclination from Jupiter's orbital plane (i). The argument of the perihelion and the longitude of the ascending node are fixed at Omega = omega = 90 deg and the time of perihelion passage is T = 0 for all orbits.

Szebehely, V.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Surfaces of Asteroids and Cometary Nuclei

The types of landforms and processes that may exist on cometary nuclei and asteroidal surfaces are investigated. Acknowledging that some asteroids may be cometary nuclei in disguise, asteroids are treated in this report as a simpler case than comets, owing to their more limited response to the state environment. Larger bodies (D 100 km) will not be discussed, even though they are recognized to be extremely important. This limitation permits only processes depending on exogenic phenomena to be considered (excluding processes such as volcanism on Vesta, for example), thus focusing discussion on the more unique aspects of these bodies, namely, their size and number.

Malin, M. C.↗

NASA NTRS1982

The asteroid ring

From a statistical analysis of asteroid orbital period data, it is shown that the present distribution of asteroids is strongly correlated with the present orbital period of Jupiter (to 1 part in 5000). By analyzing the distribution of orbital eccentricities and inclinations it is shown that the resonant structure of the belt was formed after the asteroids dispersed from the near-coplanar disk in which they accreted.

Dermott, S. F.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Asteroid amphitrite: Surface composition and prospects for the possible Galileo flyby

Studies of the trajectory of the Galileo mission to Jupiter recently revealed that the spacecraft can pass close to one of the largest asteroids (#29 Amphitrite). NASA has therefore altered the mission plan of the Galileo spacecraft to include a possible close flyby of Amphitrite in early December 1986, if the condition of the spacecraft allows. If this option is actually implemented, Amphitrite will become the only asteroid for which any high-spatial resolution images and reflection spectra will be available. To evaluate the value of this data and place Amphitrite in the context of the more than 600 asteroids for which some compositional information exists. Existing data was reexamined, new telescopic spectra of Amphitrite were obtained, and simulated Galileo data sets were constructed.

Bell, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Interplanetary magnetic field enhancements and their association with the asteroid 2201 Oljato

Comparison of the times of occurrence of a newly discovered type of disturbance in the interplanetary magnetic field at 0.72 astronomical unit with the passage of the small Venus-crossing asteroid, 2201 Oljato, reveals a possible association, but the source of these disturbances appears to be associated with outgassing material in the Oljato orbit some distance behind the asteroid and not with the asteroid itself. This suggested association can account for one quarter of the total number of events seen in eight Venus years.

Russell, C. T.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Speckle interferometry of asteroids. II - 532 Herculina

Speckle interferometry of 532 Herculina performed on January 17 and 18, 1982, yields triaxial ellipsoid dimensions of (263 + or - 14) x (218 + or - 12) x (215 + or - 12) km, and a north pole for the asteroid within 7 deg of RA = 7h47min and DEC = -39 deg (ecliptic coordinates lambda = 132 deg beta = -59 deg). In addition, a 'spot' some 75 percent brighter than the rest of the asteroid is inferred from both speckle observations and Herculina's lightcurve history. This bright complex, centered at asterocentric latitude -35 deg, longitude 145-165 deg, extends over a diameter of 55 deg (115 km) of the asteroid's surface. No evidence for a satellite is found from the speckle observations, which leads to an upper limit of 50 km for the diameter of any satellite with an albedo the same as or higher than Herculina.

Drummond, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Example Solar Electric Propulsion System asteroid tours using variational calculus

Exploration of the asteroid belt with a vehicle utilizing a Solar Electric Propulsion System has been proposed in past studies. Some of those studies illustrated multiple asteroid rendezvous with trajectories obtained using approximate methods. Most of the inadequacies of those approximations are overcome in this paper, which uses the calculus of variations to calculate the trajectories and associated payloads of four asteroid tours. The modeling, equations, and solution techniques are discussed, followed by a presentation of the results.

Burrows, R. R.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Project VESTA, exploratory mission to the asteroids: Scientific objectives and technical specifications

The VESTA project, a Franco-Soviet collaboration, is described. The VESTA probe will be launched and will pass through the asteroid belts before encountering comets. The probe will be an autonomous vehicle. The scientific objectives are to obtaining information on asteroids, comets, solar system formation, meteorites and other sources of extraterrestrial material. The surface morphology, mineral composition and internal structure of asteroids will be studied.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1985

Occultations of stars by solar system objects. VI - Occultations of catalog stars by asteroids in 1986 and 1987

Results are presented of a search for upcoming asteroid occultations involving stars in six major astrometric catalogs containing a total of approximately 326,000 individual stars. Within stated constraints on solar elongation, asteroid angular diameter, orbit quality, and occultation duration, the search is complete for all numbered asteroids. Circumstances of 74 occultations occurring in 1986 and 59 in 1987 are described.

Wasserman, L. H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The formation and origin of the IRAS zodiacal dust bands as a consequence of single collisions between asteroids

Debris fom the single collisions between asteroids that are presently suggested as an explanation for zodiacal dust bands discovered by IRAS is distributed about the plane of the ecliptic, as particles undergo differential precession of their ascending nodes because of their semimajor axes' dispersion. On time scales of 100,000 to 1,000,000 yr, two bands are formed on each side of the ecliptic for each collision; the IRAS band pairs are probably due to collisions of aproximately 15-km diameter asteroids which occurred within the last several million yr. The model presented suggests that asteroid collisions suffice as a basis for most of the observed zodiacal emission.

Sykes, M. V.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Pole orientation, sidereal period, and sense of rotation of asteroids

Pole orientations of asteroids were determined. The method, called photometric astrometry, takes precise epochs of lightcurves into account. Pole determination research on asteroids 532 Herculina, 45 Eugenia, and 3 Juno continues. Discrepancies between various pole determination techniques presently being used are analyzed. The study of asteroid shapes and creating a generalized master pole determination technique also continues which will incorporate the best features of several current methods.

Taylor, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Asteroid families, dynamics and astrometry

The proper elements and family assignments for the 1227 Palomar-Leiden Survey asteroids of high quality were tabulated. In addition to the large table, there are also auxiliary tables of Mars crossers and commensurate objects, histograms of the proper element distributions, and a discussion. Probably the most important part of the discussion describes the Mars crossing boundary, how the closest distances of approach to Mars and Jupiter are calculated, and why the observed population of Mars crossers should bombard that planet episodically rather than uniformly. Analytical work was done to derive velocity distributions of family forming events from proper element distributions subject to assumptions which may be appropriate for cratering events. Software was developed for a microcomputer to permit plotting of the proper elements. Three orthogonal views are generated and stereo pairs can be printed when desired. This program was created for the study of asteroid families. The astrometry task is directed toward measuring and reducing positions on faint comets and the minor planets with less common orbits. The observational material is CCD frames taken with the Palomar 1.5 m telescope. Positions of 10 comets and 16 different asteroids were published on the Minor Planet Circulars.

Williams, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Meteorite spectroscopy and characterization of asteroid surface materials

The purpose of this research effort is to improve the understanding of the origin, evolution, and interrelationships of the asteroids; of their relationships to the meteorites; and of the conditions and processes in the early inner solar system. The surface mineral assemblage and the surface heterogeneity of selected minor planets is determined from analysis of telescopic spectra to provide the data base to accomplish these goals. The analysis of asteroidal visible and near-infrared (VNIR) reflectance spectra compliments meteorite studies as a means of probing the late nebular through the early post-accretionary period of solar system history. To date, essentially all available spectral evidence has strongly indicated that the large S-type asteroids are predominantly thermally evolved, magmatically differentiated bodies.

Gaffey, Michael J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Crater production on Venus and Earth by asteroid and comet impact

New calculations of the collision probabilities of asteroids and comets with Venus were carried out based on the orbits of the known Venus-crossing asteroids and comets. For comparison, asteroid and comet collision probabilities and cratering rates on the Earth and Moon were recalculated and the estimated cratering rates on Venus were normalized to those of the Earth.

Shoemaker, Eugene M.↗