Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Oct 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007dps....39.1604r&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #39, #16.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.439
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
A photometric survey has been undertaken of the Vesta asteroid family in order to gain a better understanding of its collisional origin. The Vesta family members ("chips") are believed to be the result of a subcatastrophic collision that left behind a large impact crater on Vesta's surface. Our primary objective is to determine the large-scale shape characteristics of the fragments from an impact event, and we have focused on a small number of targets for which we could obtain detailed lightcurve information (including rotation rate and pole orientation) during multiple apparitions. We will summarize progress to date. Most of the objects observed have displayed lightcurve characteristics typically associated with tri-axial ellipsoids, but a few have revealed more unusual features. In particular, the lightcurves of 3782 Celle (Ryan et al. 2004a) and 3703 Volkonskaya (Ryan et al. 2004b) are indicative of asynchronous binary systems. Models of these systems have allowed us to estimate bulk densities, and derive preliminary conclusions relevant to satellite formation in cratering impact events. In addition, other targets within this survey have revealed unusual lightcurve features that have the appearance of anomalous attenuations, but with periodicities that appear to be synchronous with the primary's rotation.
This work is supported by the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program and the generous observing time made available by the Vatican Observatory Research Group and NOAO.
References
Ryan, W. H., Ryan, E. V., Martinez, C. T., 2004a; Planet. Space Sci. 52, 1093-1101.
Ryan, W. H., Ryan, E. V., Martinez, C. T., 2004b; Bul. Amer. Astron. Soc. 36, 1181-1182.
Ryan Eileen V.
Ryan William
No associations
LandOfFree
Physical Characterization of the Vesta Family Asteroids 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 Physical Characterization of the Vesta Family Asteroids, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Physical Characterization of the Vesta Family Asteroids will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1065250