Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21544808s&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #448.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.455
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Orbital debris represents a significant risk to operational spacecraft. We report on BVRI observations from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) to determine the characteristics of optically faint debris at geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO).
Our sample is taken from GEO objects discovered in a survey with the University of Michigan's 0.6-m Curtis-Schmidt telescope (known as MODEST, for Michigan Orbital DEbris Survey Telescope), and then followed up in real-time with the CTIO/SMARTS 0.9-m for orbits and photometry. Calibrated sequences in R-B-V-I-R filters for 50 objects have been obtained with the 0.9-m. The colors are largely redder than solar in both B-R and R-I for objects with small brightness variations. The width of the color distribution may be intrinsic to the nature of the surfaces, but also could imply that we are seeing irregularly shaped objects and measuring the colors at different times with just one telescope.
For irregularly shaped objects tumbling at unknown orientations and rates, such sequential filter measurements using one telescope are subject to large errors for interpretation. If all observations in all filters in a particular sequence are of the same surface at the same solar and viewing angles, then the colors are meaningful. Where this is not the case, interpretation of the observed colors is impossible.
We have observed a subset of objects with synchronized CCD cameras on the two telescopes. The 0.9-m observes in B, and the Schmidt in R. The cameras are linked together so that the start time and exposure duration are both the same to better than 50 milliseconds. Now the observed B-R color is a true measure of the scattered illuminated area of the debris piece.
We will compare our observations with laboratory measurements of selected pieces of actual spacecraft materials.
This work is supported by NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office.
Abercromby Kira J.
Barker Elizabeth
Cowardin Heather Mae
Foreman Gary
Horstman M.
No associations
LandOfFree
Photometric Studies of Orbital Debris at GEO does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Photometric Studies of Orbital Debris at GEO, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Photometric Studies of Orbital Debris at GEO will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-969360