Taxonomy of asteroids

Bowell, E.; Chapman, C. R.; Gradie, J.; Morrison, David; Zellner, B.

doi:10.1016/0019-1035(78)90085-4

Cited by 131 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Based on these data, Chapman et al (1975) placed only three asteroids, (16) Psyche, (21) Lutetia, and (22) Kalliope, into a distinct taxonomic group, to which Zellner & Gradie (1976) assigned the letter "M". The M type was defined in terms of spectral and albedo properties by Bowell et al (1978), who assigned a diameter of 112 km to Lutetia (estimates by Morrison (1977) and Zellner & Gradie (1976) had been diameters of 108−109 and 110 km, respectively).…”

Section: Taxonomy and Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical properties of the ESA Rosetta target asteroid (21) Lutetia

Drummond¹,

Conrad

Merline

et al. 2010

A&A

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Context. Asteroid (21) Lutetia was the target of the ESA Rosetta mission flyby in 2010 July. Aims. We seek the best size estimates of the asteroid, the direction of its spin axis, and its bulk density, assuming its shape is well described by a smooth featureless triaxial ellipsoid. We also aim to evaluate the deviations from this assumption. Methods. We derive these quantities from the outlines of the asteroid in 307 images of its resolved apparent disk obtained with adaptive optics (AO) at Keck II and VLT, and combine these with recent mass determinations to estimate a bulk density. Results. Our best triaxial ellipsoid diameters for Lutetia, based on our AO images alone, are a × b × c = 132 × 101 × 93 km, with uncertainties of 4 × 3 × 13 km including estimated systematics, with a rotational pole within 5The AO model fit itself has internal precisions of 1 × 1 × 8 km, but it is evident both from this model derived from limited viewing aspects and the radius vector model given in a companion paper, that Lutetia significantly departs from an idealized ellipsoid. In particular, the long axis may be overestimated from the AO images alone by about 10 km. Therefore, we combine the best aspects of the radius vector and ellipsoid model into a hybrid ellipsoid model, as our final result, of diameters 124 ± 5 × 101 ± 4 × 93 ± 13 km that can be used to estimate volumes, sizes, and projected areas. The adopted pole position is withinConclusions. Using two separately determined masses and the volume of our hybrid model, we estimate a density of 3.5 ± 1.1 or 4.3 ± 0.8 g cm −3 . From the density evidence alone, we argue that this favors an enstatite-chondrite composition, although other compositions are formally allowed at the extremes (low-porosity CV/CO carbonaceous chondrite or high-porosity metallic). We discuss this in the context of other evidence.

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Section: Taxonomy and Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical properties of the ESA Rosetta target asteroid (21) Lutetia

Drummond¹,

Conrad

Merline

et al. 2010

A&A

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“…Indeed, by using such methodology McCord et al (1970) were able to establish a very robust relation between the asteroid (4) Vesta and the howardite, eucrite, and diogenite (HED) meteorites. Possibly inspired by this accomplishment, in the early taxonomies (Chapman et al 1975;Bowell et al 1978) the classes were denominated by letters according to the mineralogical interpretation of their observational properties. In this way, the C class was associated to carbonaceous chondrites, the S class to stony-iron meteorites, the E class to enstatite achondrites, and the M class to the metallic iron-nickel meteorites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SDSS-based taxonomic classification and orbital distribution of main belt asteroids

Carvano

Hasselmann

Lazzaro

et al. 2010

A&A

166

254

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Aims. The present paper aims to derive a new classification scheme for SDSS MOC asteroid colors that is compatible with previous taxonomies based on spectroscopic data. The distribution of these can give important clues to the formation and evolution of this region of the Solar System, as well as to locate candidates with mineralogically interesting spectra for detailed observations. Methods. The methodology is based on the large database SDSS MOC4. Templates of the main taxonomic classes are derived and then used to classify the asteroid observations in the SDSS MOC4. The derived taxonomic scheme is compatible with the Bus taxonomy and is suitable to the peculiarities of the SDSS observations, in particular, the low spectral resolution. Results. Density maps of the seven classes defined by the method reproduce classical results for the background which is mainly dominated by the S p class in the inner belt and by the X p and the C p classes beyond 2.8 AU. It also shows new structures, such as the fact that the X p and C p seem evenly distributed in the inner belt while in the outer belt the S p class increase in density only at the location of asteroid families. Although their overall distribution is similar, the X p class seems less frequently associated with large families than do the C p class asteroids. Although only clustering around the Vesta family, the V p class asteroidsnappear scattered all around the main belt. Besides the lack satisfactory explanations of most of the highlighted features, they may provide strong constraints on the models of the formation and evolution of the Solar System.

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“…Since then, several taxonomic systems were developed based on the optical properties of the bodies (Chapman et al 1975;Bowell et al 1978;Tholen 1984;Barucci et al 1987;Tedesco et al 1989;Bus & Binzel 2002;DeMeo et al 2009). The increasingly larger available datasets along with refinements in the classification process led to a continuous increase in the number of classes, from the initial two up to the 26 defined by Bus & Binzel (2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mineralogical investigation of severalQ_pasteroids and their relation to the Vesta family

Jasmim

Lazzaro

Carvano

et al. 2013

A&A

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Context. To take advantage of the large dataset provided by the SDSS data, recently a new taxonomic scheme was proposed designed to be compatible with previous taxonomies. One interesting feature in this distribution is the large number of Q p asteroids scattered all around the main belt with a marked concentration in the Vesta region, where the V p are found most frequently. Since the mineralogy and thermal evolution traditionally related to the classical Q-and V-type taxonomic classes (and by construction the Q p and V p ), this finding was quite surprising. Aims. We aim to observationally determine the mineralogy of a sample of Q p asteroids of and outside the Vesta family to test whether the Q p of the Vesta family are indeed basaltic, and whether the difference in band depth implied by the SDSS spectra relates to diffences in mineralogy with respect to the V p . Moreover, we aim to determine whether the Q p outside Vesta family have an ordinary chondrite (OC) mineralogy and whether their spectra indeed correspond to Q-class asteroids. Methods. We observed a sample of asteroids classified as Q p -type in the literature, mainly located in the Vesta family and neighborhood, to confirm their mineralogy. Spectroscopic observations of 11 asteroids were obtained at the SOAR and IRTF telescopes in the visible and near-infrared region. Thermal observations of three objects were also carried out at the Gemini South telescope in order to determine the albedo of the asteroids. Results. The analysis indicated that all observed asteroids in the Vesta vicinity have a basalt-rich mineralogy, with no clear difference from other Vesta family members in terms of silicate composition. From our study it is not clear why these particular basaltic asteroids have a relatively suppressed band I so that they are classified as Q p . Two asteroids with an OC-compatible mineralogy were identified in the external part of the main belt, at around 2.8−2.9 AU. This discovery suggests new dynamical routes for the transport of Q-type asteroids to the near-Earth region and of OC meteorites to the Earth.

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Taxonomy of asteroids

Cited by 131 publications

References 29 publications

Physical properties of the ESA Rosetta target asteroid (21) Lutetia

Physical properties of the ESA Rosetta target asteroid (21) Lutetia

SDSS-based taxonomic classification and orbital distribution of main belt asteroids

Mineralogical investigation of severalQ_pasteroids and their relation to the Vesta family

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Taxonomy of asteroids

Cited by 131 publications

References 29 publications

Physical properties of the ESA Rosetta target asteroid (21) Lutetia

Physical properties of the ESA Rosetta target asteroid (21) Lutetia

SDSS-based taxonomic classification and orbital distribution of main belt asteroids

Mineralogical investigation of severalQpasteroids and their relation to the Vesta family

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Mineralogical investigation of severalQ_pasteroids and their relation to the Vesta family