Thermal radiation from large asteroids

1
Thermal radiation from large asteroids

• Chamberlain, Sykes, Lovell, Bus
• PSI Retreat, 21 August 2007

2
Overview

• Observed variations in thermal flux in the
  submillimeter and mid-infrared of large
  asteroids, at different time scales
• rotational,
• seasonal.
• Change in flux is greater than that expected due
  to shape and albedo alone evidence for variation
  in surface properties.

3
Filtered lightcurves - Vesta
4
Warts-and-All lightcurve - Vesta
5
Tb vs. Surface Properties
6
Ceres
7
Pallas
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Tb vs. Sub-solar latitude
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Vesta lightcurve

• Data with ellipsoid STM model.

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2007 Vesta MIR lightcurve