An Observational Investigation of the Comet-Asteroid Connection

Details An Observational Investigation of the Comet-Asteroid Connection An Observational Investigation of the Comet-Asteroid Connection

Jan 1990

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1990phdt........67l&link_type=abstract

Thesis (PH.D.)--MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, 1990.Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-05, Secti

Computer Science

3

Asteroids

Scientific paper

Recent observations indicate that comet nuclei and certain asteroids, particularly the near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and the distant asteroids, may have much in common. We have investigated the possible connection between comets and asteroids via two methods: (1) We performed a spectroscopic survey of two groups of asteroids that may be related to comets, namely the near-Earth asteroids and Trojan asteroids. This analysis is the first to make use of a homogeneous set of high quality high resolution asteroid spectra. Selection effects that particularly influence NEA observations (such as phase-reddening and albedo bias) are also examined and taken into account. The NEA survey indicates that we cannot dispel the hypothesis of a main belt origin for NEAs, while the Trojan survey shows that the Trojans and the known comet nuclei are spectrally similar over the wavelengths examined. (2) We sought a more quantitative distinction between comets and asteroids; the current distinction, the presence of a coma, is not satisfactory since it is a qualitative (as opposed to a quantitative) criterion. To achieve this goal, we attempted to determine the mass loss rates of NEAs. There was no compelling evidence for mass loss in the 11 observed NEAs, but upper limits to NEA mass loss rates were obtained using a simple model. These results do not exclude the possibility that there exist low-activity comets in the NEA population which escape detection because their small sizes result in mass loss rates which are below our detection limit. Thus whether an object is classified as comet or asteroid may ultimately depend on its size. This work suggests that the current criteria for distinguishing between comets and asteroids, and possibly our current understanding of small bodies of the solar system, may need to be revised. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617 -253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.).

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