2008 TC3 Asteroid Internal Structure and Physical Properties Inferred from Study of the Almahata Sitta Meteorites

Details 2008 TC3 Asteroid Internal Structure and Physical Properties Inferred from Study of the Almahata Sitta Meteorites 2008 TC3 Asteroid Internal Structure and Physical Properties Inferred from Study of the Almahata Sitta Meteorites

Oct 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.1329k&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #13.29; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.1058

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

2008 TC3 asteroid internal structure and physical properties were inferred from the empirical study of Almahata Sitta meteorites. Density measurements of Almahata Sitta ureilites reveal a bulk density of 3.1 g/cm3, a grain density of 3.6 g/cm3 and microporosity around 16%. These values, together with the 2008 TC3 asteroid shape model and albedo (standard ureilites albedos are in the range of 0.10-0.15), were used to estimate the asteroid's mass. For these values and measured ureilite bulk density our model predicts 23 ton upper limit of asteroid mass. Since asteroid 2008 TC3 was compositionally heterogeneous and of low mechanical strength we consider the presence of additional significant macroporosity. The macroporosity lowers the asteroid's bulk density compared to that of the Almahata Sitta ureilites. This in turn significantly lowers the 2008 TC3 mass estimates. We conclude that the 2008 TC3 asteroid mass in presence of significant macroporosity was most likely below 20 tons. The previously reported higher mass estimates are only possible in the case of asteroid albedo lower than 0.10 and low macroporosity. The presence of a non-ureilitic fraction and space weathering may affect the albedo and also influence the mass estimates. However, from current data it is not possible to quantify this effect.

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