Infrared Light Curves of Near-Earth Objects

Hora, J.L. and Siraj, A. and Mommert, M. and McNeill, A. and Trilling, D. and Gustafsson, A. and Smith, H. A. and Fazio, G.G. and Chesley, S. and Emery, J.P. and Harris, Alan and Mueller, M. (2018) Infrared Light Curves of Near-Earth Objects. The Astrophysical Journal, 238 (22), pp. 1-12. American Astronomical Society. doi: 10.3847/1538-4365/aadcf5. ISSN 0004-637X.

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Abstract

We present light curves and derive periods and amplitudes for a subset of 38 near-Earth objects (NEOs) observed at 4.5 µm with the IRAC camera on the the Spitzer Space Telescope, many of them having no previously reported rotation periods. This subset was chosen from about 1800 IRAC NEO observations as having obvious periodicity and significant amplitude. For objects where the period observed did not sample the full rotational period, we derived lower limits to these parameters based on sinusoidal fits. Light curve durations ranged from 42 to 544 minutes, with derived periods from 16 to 270 minutes. We discuss the effects of light curve variations on the thermal modeling used to derive diameters and albedos from Spitzer photometry. We find that both diameters and albedos derived from the light curve maxima and minima agree with our previously published results, even for extreme objects, showing the conservative nature of the thermal model uncertainties. We also evaluate the NEO rotation rates, sizes, and their cohesive strengths.

Item URL in elib:

https://elib.dlr.de/122191/

Document Type:

Article

Title:

Infrared Light Curves of Near-Earth Objects

Authors:

Authors	Institution or Email of Authors	Author's ORCID iD	ORCID Put Code
Hora, J.L.	Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, MA 02138-1516, USA	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5599-4650	UNSPECIFIED
Siraj, A.	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA,02138, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Mommert, M.	Northern Arizona University, PO Box 6010, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8132-778X	UNSPECIFIED
McNeill, A.	Northern Arizona University, PO Box 6010, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Trilling, D.	Northern Arizona University, PO Box 6010, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4580-3790	UNSPECIFIED
Gustafsson, A.	Northern Arizona University, PO Box 6010, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Smith, H. A.	Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS-65, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Fazio, G.G.	Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138-1516, USA	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0670-0708	UNSPECIFIED
Chesley, S.	Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3240-6497	UNSPECIFIED
Emery, J.P.	Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, TN 37996, USA	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Harris, Alan	UNSPECIFIED	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8548-8268	UNSPECIFIED
Mueller, M.	SRON, 9700 AV Groningen, The Netherlands	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3217-5385	UNSPECIFIED

Date:

October 2018

Journal or Publication Title:

The Astrophysical Journal

Refereed publication:

Yes

Open Access:

Yes

Gold Open Access:

In SCOPUS:

Yes

In ISI Web of Science:

Yes

Volume:

238

DOI:

10.3847/1538-4365/aadcf5

Page Range:

pp. 1-12

Publisher:

American Astronomical Society

ISSN:

0004-637X

Status:

Published

Keywords:

infrared: planetary systems minor planets, asteroids: general - surveys

HGF - Research field:

Aeronautics, Space and Transport

HGF - Program:

Space

HGF - Program Themes:

Space Exploration

DLR - Research area:

Raumfahrt

DLR - Program:

R EW - Space Exploration

DLR - Research theme (Project):

R - Exploration of the Solar System

Location:

Berlin-Adlershof

Institutes and Institutions:

Institute of Planetary Research > Leitungsbereich PF

Deposited By:

Harris, Prof. Alan

Deposited On:

29 Oct 2018 10:23

Last Modified:

06 Sep 2019 15:30

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