ExploreNEOs: Status and Results from the Warm Spitzer NEO Survey

Abstract

We are carrying out the Warm Spitzer Near Earth Object Survey "ExploreNEOs." The goals of this project are to determine the albedos and diameters for ~700 NEOs, roughly 10% of all known NEOs, and to explore the history of near-Earth space. By the time of the DPS meeting, we will have observed more than 300 NEOs at 3.6 and 4.5 microns, and produced model-derived albedo and diameter for each target. In this talk we will present the status of our project and highlight some results to date. We find that the distribution of albedos among the NEO population is quite broad, indicating a wide range of compositions among this population. We will present the albedo distribution for low Tisserand objects. We will present a preliminary size distribution for NEOs. We will also show a strong correlation between derived albedo and asteroid taxonomic (spectral) class. Finally, we will present plans for the remainder of the survey and highlight some projects that will be achievable when our entire sample is in hand, by summer, 2011. Support for this work is provided by NASA/JPL/Spitzer Science Center.