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Near-Earth Asteroid 99942 Apophis presents a unique opportunity to study the dynamics, bulk properties, and interior structure of a rubble-pile asteroid when it makes its close encounter with the Earth in 2029. In order to better understand the potential outcomes of a tidal encounter between Earth and Apophis, and to support a potential future mission to Apophis, we perform numerical simulations of the encounter. We represent Earth as a single rigid sphere and the target body as a cohesionless, self-gravitating granular aggregate of identical spheres in a hexagonal-close-packed configuration subject only to gravitational and soft-sphere (elastic) contact forces. We use a radar-derived shape model for the asteroid, along with current best estimates for the orbital solution of Apophis to simulate the encounter trajectory, and perform a large parameter sweep over different potential encounter orientations and bulk densities for the body. We find that the median change in the rotational period for Apophis, sampled for a range of different initial body and spin orientations, is −1.9 h (mean −0.1 ± 6.0 (1-σ) hours) during the encounter. Additionally, we measure that the mean of the largest change in axis length among the 3 primary body axes, also sampled over trials with different initial body and spin orientations, is 0.132 ± 0.066 mm during the encounter, assuming a bulk Young's Modulus of 106 Pa. Such strains on the timescale of peak stress during the encounter may be large enough to be detected by an in-situ seismometer.

著者人数: 69名 (所属. 宇宙航空研究開発機構宇宙科学研究所(JAXA)(ISAS): 吉川, 真), Number of authors: 69 (Affiliation. Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA)(ISAS): Yoshikawa, Makoto), Accepted: 2019-02-14, 資料番号: SA1190045000

We used three different sets of Arecibo delay-Doppler radar images and five well-covered occultations to generate a revised three-dimensional shape model of asteroid (216) Kleopatra with a spatial resolution of ∼10 km. We find Kleopatra to be a bi-lobate contact binary of overall dimensions 276 × 94 × 78 km ± 15% and equivalent diameter Deq = 122 ± 30 km; our uncertainties are upper and lower bounds. Separated binary models are ruled out by multi-chord occultations. Our model is 27% longer than the “dog-bone” model originally published by Ostro et al. (2000) but is similar to their model in the minor and intermediate axes extents. Our model's dimensions are also consistent with more recent ones based on lightcurves, adaptive-optics, and interferometric imaging. We confirm a rotational period of P = 5.385280 h ± 0.000001 h and a rotation pole at ecliptic longitude and latitude (λ, β) = (74°, + 20°) ± 5°. Over its southern hemisphere (the one most frequently observed on Earth), Kleopatra's radar albedo is 0.43 ± 0.10, consistent with a high near-surface bulk density and, by inference, the high metal content expected for M-class asteroids. However, the radar albedo for equatorial observations is considerably lower and more typical of a dominantly silicate composition. This observation could readily be explained by a relatively thin (1–2 m) silicate mantle over equatorial latitudes. Kleopatra's surface is relatively smooth with a mean slope of 12° at the ∼10 km baseline scale. Analysis of its geopotential surface suggests loose material will preferentially migrate to the neck, and this is supported by our radar observations.

We studied the membership, size ratio and rotational properties of 13 asteroid clusters consisting of between 3 and 19 known members that are on similar heliocentric orbits. By backward integrations of their orbits, we confirmed their cluster membership and estimated times elapsed since separation of the secondaries (the smaller cluster members) from the primary (i.e., cluster age) that are between 105 and a few 106 years. We ran photometric observations for all the cluster primaries and a sample of secondaries and we derived their accurate absolute magnitudes and rotation periods. We found that 11 of the 13 clusters follow the same trend of primary rotation period vs mass ratio as asteroid pairs that was revealed by Pravec et al. (2010). We generalized the model of the post-fission system for asteroid pairs by Pravec et al. (2010) to a system of N components formed by rotational fission and we found excellent agreement between the data for the 11 asteroid clusters and the prediction from the theory of their formation by rotational fission. The two exceptions are the high-mass ratio (q > 0.7) clusters of (18777) Hobson and (22280) Mandragora for which a different formation mechanism is needed. Two candidate mechanisms for formation of more than one secondary by rotational fission were published: the secondary fission process proposed by Jacobson and Scheeres (2011) and a cratering collision event onto a nearly critically rotating primary proposed by Vokrouhlický et al. (2017). It will have to be revealed from future studies which of the clusters were formed by one or the other process. To that point, we found certain further interesting properties and features of the asteroid clusters that place constraints on the theories of their formation, among them the most intriguing being the possibility of a cascade disruption for some of the clusters.

A search for temporal changes on Pluto and Charon was motivated by (1) the discovery of young surfaces in the Pluto system that imply ongoing or recent geologic activity, (2) the detection of active plumes on Triton during the Voyager 2 flyby, and (3) the abundant and detailed information that observing geologic processes in action provides about the processes. A thorough search for temporal changes using New Horizons images was completed. Images that covered the same region were blinked and manually inspected for any differences in appearance. The search included full-disk images such that all illuminated regions of both bodies were investigated and higher resolution images such that parts of the encounter hemispheres were investigated at finer spatial scales. Changes of appearance between different images were observed but in all cases were attributed to variability of the imaging parameters (especially geometry) or artifacts. No differences of appearance that are strongly indicative of a temporal change were found on the surface or in the atmosphere of either Pluto or Charon. Limits on temporal changes as a function of spatial scale and temporal interval during the New Horizons encounter are determined. The longest time interval constraint is one Pluto/Charon rotation period (~6.4 Earth days). Contrast reversal and high-phase bright features that change in appearance with solar phase angle are identified. The change of appearance of these features is most likely due to the change in phase angle rather than a temporal change. Had active plumes analogous to the plumes discovered on Triton been present on the encounter hemispheres of either Pluto or Charon, they would have been detected. The absence of active plumes may be due to temporal variability (i.e., plumes do occur but none were active on the encounter hemispheres during the epoch of the New Horizons encounter ..., Accepted for publication in Icarus

The observation of objects of the Atiras population is a challenge due to the narrow time-window in which observations are possible and, even so, at very low altitudes. This is due to the orbit of these objects, internal to that of the Earth. In this work we present the results of a photometric observational campaign of Atiras aiming to determine their physical parameters using the rotational light curve, the solar phase curve and the photometric spectrum. The period and amplitude have been determined for the asteroids (163693) Atira, (413563) 2005 TG45 and 2017 YH. In the case of (163693) Atira, we have determined a plausible rotational period P = 3 . 1532 ± 0 . 0001 , where the composite light curve presents structure usually related to the presence of a companion, as it has been suggested by radar observations of this asteroid. For asteroids (163693) Atira, (413563) 2005 TG45, (481817) 2008 UL90 and 2018 JB3 it was possible to derive the absolute magnitude and the phase coefficient. The obtained values are similar to those observed for asteroids with intermediate to low albedo. Finally, for asteroid (163693) Atira we have obtained a featureless photometric spectrum which is compatible in the Carvano taxonomic scheme with the Xp, Dp or Cp classes. No appreciable surface variations were observed for this object.

Ceres’ gravity field and rotational parameters have been precisely measured using 1.5 years of radiometric Doppler and range data and optical landmark tracking from the Dawn spacecraft in orbit about the dwarf planet. As was the case with Dawn at Vesta, the gravity field, orientation parameters, landmark locations, and Ceres’ orbit are jointly estimated in a global solution. Even though Dawn's radio science investigation at Ceres was complicated by additional thrusting for attitude control, the resulting spherical harmonic gravity field has a half-wavelength resolution of up to 82 km (degree 18) near the equator, which is similar harmonic resolution to that of Vesta. The gravity field is consistent with Airy isostatic compensation, and this model assumption limits Ceres’ crustal density to be between 1200 and 1600 kg/m 3 for two-layer and three-layer models with mean crustal thickness between 27 and 43 km. The compensation depth is determined using admittance between gravity and gravity from topography and is superior to admittance between gravity and topography. The gravitational mass of Ceres is determined to better than 0.002% ( GM Ceres = 62.62736 ± 0.00040 km 3 /s 2 ), the spin pole location is improved by 10× over previous results with right ascension (α = 291.427°) and declination (δ = 66.760°) uncertainty less than 0.001°, and the rotation rate is improved by ∼100× over previous determinations from Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images. Ceres’ heliocentric orbit has also been improved, with about 17 months of precision range measurements reducing ephemeris uncertainties to about 10 m during the Dawn timeframe.

We report radar observations of near-Earth asteroid (469896) 2005 WC1 that were obtained at Arecibo (2380 MHz, 13 cm) and Goldstone (8560 MHz, 3.5 cm) on 2005 December 14–15 during the asteroid's approach within 0.020 au The asteroid was a strong radar target. Delay-Doppler images with resolutions as fine as 15 m/pixel were obtained with 2 samples per baud giving a correlated pixel resolution of 7.5 m. The radar images reveal an angular object with 100 m-scale surface facets, radar-dark regions, and an estimated diameter of 400 ± 50 m. The rotation of the facets in the images gives a rotation period of ∼2.6 h that is consistent with the estimated period of 2.582 h ± 0.002 h from optical lightcurves reported by Miles (private communication). 2005 WC1 has a circular polarization ratio of 1.12 ± 0.05 that is one of the highest values known, suggesting a structurally-complex near-surface at centimeter to decimeter spatial scales. It is the first asteroid known with an extremely high circular polarization ratio, relatively low optical albedo, and high radar albedo.

We present thermal properties and an improved shape model for potentially hazardous asteroid (162421) 2000 ET70. In addition to the radar data from 2000 ET70's apparition in 2012, our model incorporates optical lightcurves and infrared spectra that were not included in the analysis of Naidu et al. (2013, Icarus 226, 323-335). We confirm the general "clenched fist" appearance of the Naidu et al. model, but compared to their model, our best-fit model is about 10% longer along its long principal axis, nearly identical along the intermediate axis, and about 25% shorter along the short axis. We find the asteroid's dimensions to be 2.9 km $\times$ 2.2 km $\times$ 1.5 km (with relative uncertainties of about 10%, 15%, and 25%, respectively). With the available data, 2000 ET70's period and pole position are degenerate with each other. The radar and lightcurve data together constrain the pole direction to fall along an arc that is about twenty-three degrees long and eight degrees wide. Infrared spectra from the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF) provide an additional constraint on the pole. Thermophysical modeling, using our SHERMAN software, shows that only a subset of the pole directions, about twelve degrees of that arc, are compatible with the infrared data. Using all of the available data, we find that 2000 ET70 has a sidereal rotation period of 8.944 hours ($\pm$ 0.009 h) and a north pole direction of ecliptic coordinates $(52^{\circ}, -60^{\circ}) \pm 6^{\circ}$. The infrared data, acquired over several dates, require that the thermal properties (albedo, thermal inertia, surface roughness) must change across the asteroid's surface. By incorporating the detailed shape model and spin state into our thermal modeling, the multiple ground-based observations at different viewing geometries have allowed us to constrain the levels of the variations in the surface properties., Revised and submitted to Icarus; 22 pages, 13 figures; 51 supplementary figures (in a 25MB PDF) can be found at http://astro.cornell.edu/~seanm/2000et70/

We present our shape model of Amor class near-Earth asteroid (1627) Ivar. During Ivar's apparition in 2013, in which it had a minimum distance of 0.32 AU, we obtained both CCD photometry and radar observations. The radar data consist of echo power spectra and delay-Doppler imaging with 300 m resolution and were obtained using the Arecibo Observatory's 2380 MHz radar. Lightcurve data were gathered using the 0.35 m telescope at the Palmer Divide Station. Using these data, we constructed a detailed shape model of Ivar that reveals more surface detail than earlier models. Ivar was found to have a rotational period of 4.7951689 ± 0.0000026 hours with a pole located within 6° of ecliptic longitude and latitude 336° and 37° respectively. Ivar is an elongated asteroid with maximum extensions along the three body-fixed coordinates being 15.15 × 6.25 × 5.66 km ± 10%. The results of surface slope analysis suggest that Ivar is covered with a loose regolith. Ivar appears to reside in, or near, an optimum state with respect to its shape, spin, and bulk density, such that dynamic topography, surface slopes, and erosion rates on the body are near minimum levels and is therefore dynamically stable.

We present the results of photometry, linear spectropolarimetry, and imaging circular polarimetry ofcomet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) performed at the 6-m telescope BTA of the Special Astrophysical Observatory(Russia) equipped by the multi-mode focal reducer SCORPIO-2. The comet was observed at two epochspost-perihelion: on February 2-14, 2012 at r=1.6 au and {\alpha}=36 {\deg}; and on April 14-21, 2012 at r=2.2 au and {\alpha}=27 deg. The spatial maps of the relative intensity and circular polarization as well as the spectral distribution of linear polarization are presented. There were two features (dust and gas tails) orientedin the solar and antisolar directions on February 2 and 14 that allowed us to determine rotation periodof the nucleus as 11.1 hours. We detected emissions of C2 , C3 , CN, CH, NH2 molecules as well as CO+ and H2O+ ions, along with a high level of the dust continuum. On February 2, the degree of linear polarization in the continuum, within the wavelength range of 0.67-0.68 {\mu}m, was about 5% in the near-nucleus region up to near 6000 km and decreased to about 3% at near 40,000 km. The left-handed (negative) circular polarization at the level approximately from -0.06% to -0.4% was observed at the distances up to 3*10^4 km from the nucleus on February 14 and April 21, respectively., Comment: 16, 13 figures, 2 tables

We present analysis of five nights of R-band observations of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 (SW1) taken on September 2008 which show the comet undergoing an outburst. Coma morphology shows a projected asymmetric shell of material expanding radially and four linear features on the northern side of the coma at position angles 37°, 78°, 300°, and 353°. Using the measured projected radial outflow velocity of 0.11 ±0.02 km/s for the shell material, we calculate an outburst time of UT 2008-09-21.03 ±0.95 days. By tracking the inner and outer extent of the northern linear features, we found that the features are fully contained within the expanding shell of material. This suggested both shell and linear features originated during the same event and activity originating from different regions on the nuclear surface are not necessary to generate both types of morphological structure observed. A 3-D Monte Carlo coma model was used to model the outburst. Morphological features present in the observations were modeled allowing constraints to be placed on the spin state of SW1’s nucleus. The evolution of morphological features allows constraints on the rotation period P assuming an outburst duration Δt and the spin period constraints are expressed in terms of their ratio P/Δt. Since the spin-pole orientation could not be constrained, four spin-pole orientations were chosen for modeling the coma. Spin-period constraints for each assumed pole orientation are discussed. Overall, modeling suggested either a spin period on the order of days, a spin-pole orientation nearly along the sub-Earth direction, or a combination of both. To place an independent constraint on the outburst duration, radial surface-brightness profiles of the observations were compared with profiles from synthetic models, giving an upper-limit of Δt ≤ 1.5 days. Longer outbursts resulted in a higher number of dust grains in close proximity to the nucleus during the observations and a profile slope too steep to model observations. Lastly, from photometry of the five nights of observation, a lower limit of (1.8 ± 0.07) × 109 kg was estimated for the total amount of dust emitted during the outburst. Assuming the outburst was triggered by either the sublimation of pure CO or CO2 ice and a dust to gas ratio of ∼4 (Rosetta results for Comet 67P, Rotundi et al. 2015), a lower limit for the outburst duration on the order of hours was obtained.

A planetary-scale bright and dark UV feature, known as the “Y-feature,” rotates around Venus with a period of 4–5 days and has been long-time interpreted as planetary waves. When assuming this, its rotation period and spatial structure might help to understand the propagation of the planetary-scale waves and find out their role in the acceleration-deceleration of the zonal wind speed, which is essential for understanding the super-rotation of the planet. The rotation period of the UV feature varied over the course of observation by the Pioneer Venus orbiter. However, in previous explorations of Venus such as Pioneer Venus and Venus Express, the spacecraft were operated in nearly fixed inertial space. As a result, the periodicity variations on sub-yearly timescales (one Venusian year is ∼224 Earth days) were obscured by the limitations of continuous dayside observations. We newly conducted six periods of ground-based Venus imaging observations at 365 nm from mid-August 2013 to the end of June 2014. Each observation period spanned over half or one month, enabling long-term monitoring of Venus’ atmosphere above the equator region. Distributions of the relative brightness were obtained from the equatorial (EQ) to mid-latitudinal regions in both hemispheres, and from the cyclical variations of these distributions we deduced the rotation periods of the UV features of the cloud tops brightness. The relative brightness exhibited periods of 5.2 and 3.5 days above 90% of significance. The relative intensities of these two significant components also seemed subject to temporal variations. Although the 3.5-day component considered persists throughout the observation periods, its dominance over the longer period varied in a cyclic fashion. The prevailing first significant mode seems to change from 5.2-day waves to 3.5-day waves in about nine months, which is clearly inconsistent with the Venusian year. Clear periodic perturbations, indicating stability of the planetary-scale UV-feature, were observed only in the presence of single longer or shorter periodic waves. During the transition periods of dominant-wave changing, the amplitude of the relative brightness was largely changed. This can be explained by the deformation of the Y-shaped UV feature as observed by Pioneer Venus in 1979.

Using the US Air Force’s Starfire Optical Range 3.5 meter telescope with adaptive optics and a laser guidestar, we obtained 68 images of asteroid (87) Sylvia and its satellite Romulus over 6 nights in March and May of 2015. Adding an additional 3 images from earlier observations on one night in November 2012, we are able to derive a circular (but not an eccentric) orbit for Romulus, leading to a density for Sylvia of 1.37 ± 0.04 gm/cm3. Extending the time base to 14 years by combining our data with previous observations from Keck, HST, and the VLT reported in the literature, we can fit for a new circular orbit and change the density estimate slightly to 1.35 ± 0.04 gm/cm3. By fitting a ratio of two Fourier series to the measured magnitude difference between Sylvia (V=12.5) and Romulus, which ranged from 4.1 to 5.0 in the J-band ( λ = 1.2 μ m), and modeling both as triaxial ellipsoids, we are able to derive prolate spheroid equatorial diameters for Romulus of 41(±27) × 30(±16) km. This assumes that Romulus is rotating synchronously with its 3.64 d orbital period. However, decomposing the differential lightcurve between Sylvia and Romulus reveals a much shorter 7.96 hr rotational period, leading to more elongated prolate spheroid diameters of 82(±7) × 21(±2) km. As far as we know, our 3.5 m telescope is the smallest ground-based telescope to ever image any asteroid’s moon.

We discuss the planetary period oscillations (PPOs) observed by the Cassini spacecraft in Saturn's magnetosphere, in particular the relationship between the properties of the PPOs in the post-equinox interval as observed in magnetic field data by Andrews et al. (2012) and Provan et al. (2013, 2014) and in Saturn kilometric radiation (SKR) emissions by Fischer et al. (2014, 2015), whose results are somewhat discrepant. We show that differences in the reported PPO periods, a fundamental property which should be essentially identical in the two data sets, can largely be accounted for by the phenomenon of dual modulation of the SKR emissions in polarization-separated data, in which the modulation associated with one hemisphere is also present in the other. Misidentification of the modulations results in a reported reversal in the SKR periods in the initial post-equinox interval, south for north and vice versa, relative to the magnetic oscillations whose hemispheric origin is more securely identified through the field component phase relations. Dual modulation also results in the apparent occurrence of phase-locked common periods in the northern and southern SKR data during later intervals during which two separate periods are clearly discerned in the magnetic data through beat modulations in both phase and amplitude. We further show that the argument of Fischer et al. (2015) concerning the phase relation between the magnetic field oscillations and the SKR modulations is erroneous, the phase difference between them revealing the local time (LT) of the upward field-aligned current of the PPO current system at times of SKR modulation maxima. Furthermore, this LT is found to vary significantly over the Cassini mission from dawn, to dusk, and to noon, depending on the LT of apoapsis where the spacecraft spends most time. These variations are consistent with the view that the SKR modulation is fundamentally a rotating system like the magnetic perturbations, though complicated by the strong LT asymmetry in the strength of the sources, and rule out a mainly clock-like (strobe) modulation as argued by Fischer et al. (2015), for which no physical mechanism is suggested. We also elucidate the nature of the magnetic periods, criticized by Fischer et al. (2015), which have previously been derived in ∼100–200 day post-equinox intervals between abrupt changes in PPO properties, and further show that their argument that the magnetic phase data provide evidence for the occurrence of common phase-locked magnetic oscillations in some intervals is fallacious. The most important consequence of our results, however, is that they demonstrate the essential compatibility of the post-equinox magnetic field and SKR data, despite the contrary results published to date. They also show that due to the dual modulation effect in polarization-separated SKR data, analysis and interpretation may contain more subtleties than previously realized. Joint examination of the combined magnetic and SKR data clearly provides greater insight and enhanced confidence compared with analyses of these data sets individually.

Evidence for long-lived sources of cryovolcanism on the nucleus of the Comet 29P/Schwassmann–Wachmann has been found from a study of its times of outburst ( t 0 ) and the morphological development of inner coma structures. Analysis of data from the Minor Planet Center observations archive spanning 2002–2014 and other observations have yielded 64 outburst times of mainly well-observed events with a median timing uncertainty of 0.40 d. Outbursts comprise largely (i) isolated explosive events; or (ii) multiple outbursts occurring typically within 5–15 d of each other. On rare occasions, a form of continuous or gradually increasing activity is manifest, appearing to be the result of a series of mini-outbursts. Quasi-periodicity in t 0 is manifested as an excess of outbursts every 52–60 d, along with a paucity of events every ∼30 d and ∼90 d. Seasonal changes in activity are evident from the temporal analysis of the outburst data. An unambiguous periodicity of 57.6 ± 0.4 d has been found in the times of 26 outbursts during 2010–2014, with all active sources at that time localised within a longitude span of ∼135–150°. Cluster analysis of t 0 data for 2002–2010 and 2010–2014, and HST imaging from 1996 confirm and refine the apparent periodicity, indicating that outbursts appear to be grouped in longitude centred on at least 6 circumferential locations. Sources of activity generally persist for at least 10–20 yr, and some appear discrete in nature, able to re-outburst after a single day–night cycle. Given that outbursts are triggered by solar heating, the analysis yields a value for the mean solar day of 57.71 ± 0.06 d, equivalent to a sidereal rotation period of 57.09 ± 0.06 d, assuming the more probable prograde direction of spin. A novel outburst mechanism is outlined in which some cometary ices, principally solid CH 4 , confined under pressure (>12 kPa) beneath a stabilisation crust, begin to melt and absorb supervolatile gases, mainly CO and N 2 . These gases liberate considerable heat (5–7 kJ mol −1 ) via their enthalpy of solution inducing further melting deep within the nucleus where direct insolation heating is absent. This gas-solute process is most active near the solid–liquid interface, where the solvent temperature is lowest and gas solubility is highest. An outburst occurs when insolation heating of the crust above a gas-laden subsurface reservoir softens paraffinic hydrocarbons and causes a crustal plate to dislodge under the accumulated gas pressure, the sudden release of which provokes the explosive ex-solution of dissolved gases, principally CO, propelling entrained dust and debris into space. Fissures reseal as the plate sinks back under the gravitational influence of the large nucleus and the adhesive, waxy hydrocarbon fraction solidifies, permitting a new outburst cycle to begin. A detailed account of the gas ex-solution mechanism is the subject of a partner paper (Miles, R. [2015]. Icarus).

Detailed morphological and photometric characterisation of Comet 29P in the optical region is presented comprising: (a) multi-filter observations of the outburst coma in 2010–2012 with the 2.0-m Faulkes Telescopes (FT); (b) high-cadence, high-precision photometry in May–September 2014; and (c) HST observations in March 1996 (WFPC2/F702W filter). Outbursts appear to be explosive in that: the rise to maximum light is short-lived; the expanding coma fits a model in which ejecta are produced in a singular event and expand into space with uniform velocity; and the motion of condensations within the outburst coma indicate a common onset time and origin. The bright outburst of 2010 February 2 generated a dust coma exhibiting expansion speeds up to 0.257 ± 0.013 km s−1 consistent with acceleration of cometary grains close to the nucleus driven by sublimating CO ice and N2 ice at 24 ± 6 K. Material ejected ∼1 d after this outburst exhibited a V–R colour gradient: redder towards the main outflow, bluer in the opposite sense; potentially arising from differences in spectral emission (from gas), light scattering (particle size), and spectral reflectance (composition). B–V, V–R and R–I colour images revealed colour/compositional differences in near-nucleus structures and the evolution of the expanding coma, which brightened by ∼30% within 5–6 days of the outburst. Broadband photometry indicated a general reddening coma with time (change in B–V from +0.76 to +0.83; V–SDSS-r′ from 0.25 to +0.31 in 14 d). SDSS-r′–SDSS-i′ photometry indicated gradual spectral attenuation at >700 nm. Asymmetric, fan-shaped comae, characteristic of 29P, potentially form when the expanding cloud from an outburst is shielded by the nucleus. Rotational-gradient filtered HST and FT images show unusual 2-fold and 4-fold symmetry involving oppositely-directed radial outflows moving at up to 0.15 km s−1: possibly an indication of material escaping from fissures along the perimeter of a crustal ‘plate’ when dislodged by pressure build-up in the subsurface. Pairs of outbursts separated in time by 52–65 d took place in 2010, 2011, and 2012 exhibiting similar coma outflow patterns indicative of outbursts repeating a second time from the same source, and suggesting a nuclear rotation period of 59 ± 4 (s.e.) d. The escape velocity of the nucleus is sufficiently high (0.013–0.023 km s−1) that a significant fraction of ejecta falls back onto its surface, the action of which, we suggest, re-forms the crust and may trigger outbursts from nearby sites (e.g. triple events of February 2010, and May 2014). A short-lived (

The results of our new photometric observations of the main-belt asteroid 4332 Milton are presented. These observations were obtained on two successive nights in August 2012 at Canakkale University Observatory. The bimodal light curve amplitude and period were determined to be 0.16 ± 0.01 mag and 3.295 ± 0.005 h, respectively.

Spectroscopic investigations of primitive asteroid families constrain family evolution and composition and conditions in the solar nebula, and reveal information about past and present distributions of volatiles in the solar system. Visible and near-infrared studies of primitive asteroid families have shown spectral diversity between and within families. Here, we aim to better understand the composition and physical properties of two primitive families with vastly different ages: ancient Themis (∼2.5 Gyr) and young Veritas (∼8 Myr). We analyzed the 5 – 14 µm Spitzer Space Telescope spectra of 11 Themis-family asteroids, including eight previously studied by Licandro et al. (2012), and nine Veritas-family asteroids, for a total of 20 asteroids in our sample. We detect a broad 10-µm emission feature, attributed to fine-grained and/or porous silicate regolith, in all 11 Themis-family spectra and six of nine Veritas-family asteroids, with 10-µm spectral contrast ranging from 1% ± 0.1% to 8.5% ± 0.9%. We used thermal modeling to derive diameters, beaming parameters and albedos for our sample. Asteroids in both families have beaming parameters near unity and geometric albedos in the range 0.03 – 0.14. Spectral contrast of the 10-µm silicate emission feature is correlated with beaming parameter and rotation period in the Themis family, and may be related to near-infrared spectral slope for both families. We see no correlations of 10-µm emission with diameter or albedo for either family. Comparison with laboratory spectra of primitive meteorites suggests these asteroids are similar to meteorites with relatively low abundances of phyllosilicates. Overall, our results suggest the Themis and Veritas families are primitive asteroids with variation in composition and/or regolith properties within both families.

We present analysis of observations of CO2 and OI emission in three comets to measure the CO2 abundance and evaluate the possibility of employing observations of OI emission in comets as a proxy for CO2. We obtained NIR imaging sensitive to CO2 of comets C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS), C/2012 K5 (LINEAR), and 290P/Jager with the IRAC instrument on Spitzer. We acquired observations of OI emission in these comets with the ARCES echelle spectrometer mounted on the 3.5-meter telescope at Apache Point Observatory and observations of OH with the Swift observatory (PanSTARRS) and with Keck HIRES (Jager). The CO2/H2O ratios derived from the Spitzer images are 12.6 +/- 1.3% (PanSTARRS), 28.9 +/- 3.6% (LINEAR), and 31.3 +/- 4.2% (Jager). These abundances are derived under the assumption that contamination from CO emission is negligible. The CO2 abundance for PanSTARRS is close to the average abundance measured in comets at similar heliocentric distance to date, while the abundances measured for LINEAR and Jager are significantly larger than the average abundance. From the coma morphology observed in PanSTARRS and the assumed gas expansion velocity, we derive a rotation period for the nucleus of about 9.2 hours. Comparison of H2O production rates derived from ARCES and Swift data, as well as other observations, suggest the possibility of sublimation from icy grains in the inner coma. We evaluate the possibility that the OI emission can be employed as a proxy for CO2 by comparing CO2/H2O ratios inferred from the OI lines to those measured directly by Spitzer. We find that for PanSTARRS we can reproduce the observed CO2 abundance to an accuracy of ~20%. For LINEAR and Jager, we were only able to obtain upper limits on the CO2 abundance inferred from the OI lines. These upper limits are consistent with the CO2 abundances measured by Spitzer., Comment: 30 pages, 6 tables, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Icarus

Asteroid 162173 Ryugu is a rubble-pile asteroid, whose top-shape is compatible with models of deformation by spin up. Rims of major craters on Ryugu have an east-west asymmetric profile; their western crater rims are sharp and tall, while their eastern crater rims are rounded and low. Although there are various possible explanations, we theoretically assess the effect of asteroid rotation as the possible reason for this east-west asymmetry. It is known that the trajectories and fates of ejecta are affected by the rotation. The Coriolis force and the inertial speed of the rotating surface are the factors altering the ejecta trajectories. Consequently, we found that the east-west asymmetric crater rims might be formed as a result of rotation, when the inertial speed of the rotating surface is nearly equal to the first cosmic velocity of the body. In other words, it is possible that the observed east-west asymmetric rims of the Urashima, Cendrillon, and Kolobok craters were formed when Ryugu's rotation period was ~3.6 h., Comment: 30 pages 13 figures

TIR, the thermal infrared imager on Hayabusa2, acquired high-resolution thermal images of the asteroid 162173 Ryugu for one asteroid rotation period on August 1, 2018 to investigate the thermophysical properties of the asteroid. The surface temperatures of Ryugu suggest that the surface has a low thermal inertia, indicating the presence of porous materials. Thermophysical models that neglect or oversimplify surface roughness cannot reproduce the flat diurnal temperature profiles observed during daytime. We performed numerical simulations of a thermophysical model, including the effects of roughness on the diurnal brightness temperature, the predictions of which successfully reproduced the observed diurnal variation of temperature. The global thermal inertia was obtained with a standard deviation of 225 ± 45 J m−2 s−0.5 K−1, which is relatively low but still within the range of the value estimated in our previous study (Okada et al., Nature 579, 518–522, 2020), confirming that the boulders on Ryugu are more porous in nature than typical carbonaceous chondrites. The global surface roughness (the ratio of the variance of the height relative to a local horizontal surface length) was determined as 0.41 ± 0.08, corresponding to a RMS surface slope of 47 ± 5°. We identified a slightly lower roughness distributed along the equatorial ridge, implying a mass movement of boulders from the equatorial ridge to the mid-latitudes.

On 15 February 2013, the asteroid 367943 Duende (2012 DA14) experienced a near-Earth encounter at an altitude of 27,700 km or 4.2 Earth radii. We present here the results of an extensive, multi-observatory campaign designed to probe for spectral and/or rotational changes to Duende due to gravitational interactions with the Earth during the flyby. Our spectral data reveal no changes within the systematic uncertainties of the data. Post-flyby lightcurve photometry places strong constraints on the rotation state of Duende, showing that it is in non-principal axis rotation with fundamental periods of P_1 = 8.71 +/- 0.03 and P_2 = 23.7 +/- 0.2 hours. Multiple lightcurve analysis techniques, coupled with theoretical considerations and delay-doppler radar imaging, allows us to assign these periods to specific rotational axes of the body. In particular we suggest that Duende is now in a non-principal, short axis mode rotation state with a precessional period equal to P_1 and oscillation about the symmetry axis at a rate equal to P_2. Temporal and signal-to-noise limitations inherent to the pre-flyby photometric dataset make it difficult to definitively diagnose whether these periods represent a change imparted due to gravitational torques during the flyby. However, based on multiple analysis techniques and a number of plausibility arguments, we suggest that Duende experienced a rotational change during the planetary encounter with an increase in its precessional rotation period. Our preferred interpretation of the available data is that the precession rate increased from 8.4 hours prior to the flyby to 8.7 hours afterwards. A companion paper by Benson et al. (2019) provides a more detailed dynamical analysis of this event and compares the data to synthetic lightcurves computed from a simple shape model of Duende. (abbreviated abstract), Comment: 50 pages (double spaced), 12 figures, 5 tables, accepted to Icarus

Accepted: 2015-09-23, 資料番号: SA1150217000

We report radar observations of near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) 2003 MS2 with Goldstone (8560 MHz, 3.5 cm) on June 28, 29, and July 4, 2003, shortly after the asteroid’s discovery. Delay-Doppler images with resolutions as fine as 19 m/pixel reveal an unusually angular object with pronounced facets. The longest sequence of images was obtained on July 4 when the asteroid rotated ∼140 deg in 2.7 h. During this interval, bandwidths varied by a factor of ∼1.5 and indicate that 2003 MS2 is an elongated object. The rotation and bandwidth variations evident in the radar images are consistent with the 7 h rotation period and the 0.7 magnitude lightcurve amplitude reported by Muinonen et al. (Muinonen, K. et al. [2007]. Spins, shapes, and orbits for near-Earth objects by Nordic NEON. In: Milani, A., Valsecchi, G.B., Vokrouhlický, D. (Eds.), Near Earth Objects, our Celestial Neighbors: Opportunity and Risk. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 309–320). If we adopt the 7 h period, then the maximum and minimum bandwidths place lower bounds on the pole-on dimensions of (0.33 × 0.19) km/cos δ , where δ is the unknown subradar latitude. The radar and photometric observations by Muinonen et al. constrain the pole directions to ( λ , β ) = (20 ± 20 deg, 0 ± 40 deg) and (200 ± 20 deg, 0 ± 40 deg). The circular polarization ratio of 0.31 ± 0.02 is comparable to that of 25143 Itokawa, suggesting a similar degree of near-surface roughness at decimeter spatial scales.

We present the results of a Monte Carlo technique to calculate the absolute magnitudes (H) and slope parameters (G) of about 240000 asteroids observed by the Pan-STARRS1 telescope during the first 15 months of its 3-year all-sky survey mission. The system's exquisite photometry with photometric errors < 0.04 mag, and well-defined filter and photometric system, allowed us to derive accurate H and G even with a limited number of observations and restricted range in phase angles. Our Monte Carlo method simulates each asteroid's rotation period, amplitude and color to derive the most-likely H and G, but its major advantage is in estimating realistic statistical+systematic uncertainties and errors on each parameter. The method was tested by comparison with the well-established and accurate results for about 500 asteroids provided by Pravec et al. (2012) and then applied to determining H and G for the Pan-STARRS1 asteroids using both the Muinonen et al. (2010) and Bowell et al. (1989) phase functions. Our results confirm the bias in MPC photometry discovered by (Juric et al. 2002)., 13 figures, 7 tables

Due to its fast rotation period of 2.12 h, about half of the surface of near-Earth Asteroid (29075) 1950 DA experiences negative (i.e., outward directed) acceleration levels (Rozitis, B., Maclennan, E., Emery, J.P. [2014]. Nature 512, 174–176). Thus, cohesion of the surface material is mandatory to prevent rotational breakup of the asteroid. Rozitis et al. (Rozitis, B., Maclennan, E., Emery, J.P. [2014]. Nature 512, 174–176) concluded that a grain size of ∼6 cm or lower is needed to explain the required cohesive strength of 64 - 20 + 12 Pa . Here, we present another approach to determine the grain size of near-Earth Asteroid (29075) 1950 DA by using the thermal inertia value from Rozitis et al. (Rozitis, B., Maclennan, E., Emery, J.P. [2014]. Nature 512, 174–176) and a model of the heat conductivity of the surface regolith (Gundlach, B., Blum, J. [2013]. Icarus 223, 479–492). This method yields a mean particle radius ranging from 32 μm to 117 μm. The derived grain sizes are then used to infer the cohesive strength of the surface material of Asteroid (29075) 1950 DA (ranging from 24 Pa to 88 Pa), by using laboratory measurements of the tensile strength of powders.

The rotation period of Saturn’s magnetosphere was found to vary with time, and changing periodicities were identified in magnetic fields, radio emissions, and charged particles. Here we analyze the varying period of Saturn kilometric radiation (SKR) from 2009 to early 2013, i.e. mainly after Saturn equinox of August 2009. A periodicity analysis is first applied to the complete SKR signal, and second to SKR intensities separated by spacecraft latitude and wave polarization, attributed to SKR from the northern and southern hemisphere. Our analyses are done with the tracking filter approach of Gurnett et al. (Gurnett et al. [2009a]. Geophys. Res. Lett. 36, L16102) and by simply tracing the phases of normalized SKR intensity maxima (north and south) with time. It is shown that SKR periods from the northern and southern hemisphere converged during 2009, crossed shortly after equinox, and coalesced in spring 2010. We will show that SKR from both hemispheres not only exhibited similar periods, but also similar phases from March 2010 until February 2011 and from August 2011 until June 2012. The in-between time interval (March to July 2011) shows a slowdown of the southern SKR rotation rate and a slight increase in rotation speed for the northern SKR before rotation rates and phases become equal again in August 2011. We also identify SKR signals where the modulation phase deviation exceeds one rotation each time Cassini completes one orbit, i.e. this is consistent with the characteristic of a rotating signal. However, the main SKR modulation signals from 2009 to 2012 can be viewed as being clock-like with no correction needed for the derived periods. A comparison of SKR periodicities after equinox to the planetary period oscillations of the magnetic field shows major differences, and we compare SKR phases to magnetic field phases to explain the deviations.

We use the recently determined rotation state, shape, size and thermophysical model of Apophis to predict the strength of the Yarkovsky effect in its orbit. Apophis does not rotate about the shortest principal axis of the inertia tensor, rather its rotational angular momentum vector wobbles at an average angle of ≃37° from the body axis. Therefore, we pay special attention to the modeling of the Yarkovsky effect for a body in such a tumbling state, a feature that has not been described in detail so far. Our results confirm that the Yarkovsky effect is not significantly weakened by the tumbling state. The previously stated rule that the Yarkovsky effect for tumbling kilometer-size asteroids is well represented by a simple model assuming rotation about the shortest body axis in the direction of the rotational angular momentum and with rotation period close to the precession period is confirmed. Taking into account uncertainties of the model parameters, as well as the expected density distribution for Apophis’ spectral class, we predict the secular change in the semimajor axis is ( - 12.8 ± 3.6 ) × 10 - 4 au/Myr (formal 1 σ uncertainty). The currently available astrometric data for Apophis do not allow an unambiguous direct detection of the Yarkovsky effect. However, the fitted secular change in semimajor axis of ( - 23 ± 13 ) × 10 - 4 au/Myr is compatible with the model prediction. We revise the Apophis’ impact probability information in the second half of this century by extending the orbital uncertainty derived from the current astrometric data and by taking into account the uncertainty in the dynamical model due to the thermal recoil accelerations. This is done by mapping the combined uncertainty to the close encounter in 2029 and by determining the statistical weight of the known keyholes leading to resonant impact orbits. Whereas collision with the Earth before 2060 is ruled out, impacts are still possible from 2060 with probabilities up to a few parts in a million. More definitive analysis will be available after the Apophis apparition in 2020–2021.

During a survey of the S-type asteroids, Gaffey et al. (Gaffey, M.J., Bell, J.F., Brown, R.H., Burbine, T.H., Piatek, J., Reed, K.L., Chaky, D.A. [1993]. Icarus 106, 573–602) identified Asteroid (354) Eleonora as anomalous with a 1 μm absorption feature ∼2.5 times stronger than any S-asteroid of comparable size. Subsequent investigation revealed significant differences in the 1 μm absorption feature between the visible & very near-infrared CCD spectra ( λ 3 OS 2 ) of Eleonora. These differences could potentially arise from spectral variations across the asteroid surface, from observational phase angle differences, from surface temperature differences, from viewing geometry for a nonspherical body, or from the use of standard stars with deviated to different degrees from a true solar standard. In June 2011 Asteroid (354) Eleonora was observed over two nights using the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) at Mauna Kea Observatory in order to test these possible scenarios and to better understand the nature and history of Eleonora and its relationships to other asteroids and to the meteorites. Analysis of this data set has eliminated the following options as the cause of the differences in the 1 μm absorption feature within the CCD data sets and between the CCD data sets and the other spectral data: (1) rotational spectral variations; (2) variation in surface composition with latitude; (3) observation phase; (4) surface temperature variations with differing heliocentric distance in the asteroid’s elliptical orbit; (5) spectral effects of viewing geometry for a nonspherical body; and (6) differences in spectral standard stars. We conclude that none of the CCD spectra of (354) Eleonora are reliable, and that within the limits of their spectral coverage, analyses of the three CCD spectra would produce significantly different – and generally unreliable – indications of surface mineralogy. An effort needs to be made to determine whether “bad” CCD spectra are rare with the case of (354) Eleonora being an uncommon occurrence or whether there is a broader problem with the CCD asteroid survey data sets, and if so, how to identify the “bad” spectra. While CCD survey spectra show apparently irreconcilable differences, the near-infrared spectra of (354) Eleonora from various observers show only minor differences, primarily in the overall spectral slope, most of which can be attributed to slight differences in the standard stars used to calibrate the data. In June 2011, 226 near-infrared (∼0.76–2.5 μm) spectra of (354) Eleonora were obtained using the SpeX instrument on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility at Mauna Kea Observatory. These spectra were consistent with the six sets of NIR spectra obtained for Eleonora by previous observers. The primary variation observed in this new data set was an approximately 10% variation in spectral slope between ∼0.8 μm and ∼1.6 μm during the rotation period of the asteroid. Mineralogically diagnostic spectral parameters extracted from this new data are most consistent with a surface assemblage of fine-grained intimately mixed olivine (∼60–70%, ∼Fo 61–71 ) and low nickel ( 66±5 ) by Sanchez et al. (Sanchez, J.A., Reddy, V., Kelley, M.S., Cloutis, E.A., Bottke, W.F., Nesvorný, D., Lucas, M.P., Hardersen, P.S., Gaffey, M.J., Abell, P.A., Le Corre, L. [2014]. Icarus 228, 288–300), but not with the estimate (∼Fo 90 ) of Sunshine et al. (Sunshine, J.M., Bus, S.J., Corrigan, C.M., McCoy, T.J., Burbine, T.H. [2007]. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 42, 155–170). The surface assemblage appears to contain a small component (∼8–10%) of igneous pyroxene (weakly constrained at ∼Fs 50 Wo 10 ). The parent lithology of the surface regolith may be similar to a pallasite assemblage, although none of the three known types of pallasites are good mineralogical matches.

The timescales over which the YORP effect alters the rotation period and the obliquity of a small asteroid can be very different, because the corresponding torques couple to different aspects of the object's shape. For nearly axisymmetric, "top-shaped" near-Earth asteroids such as 101955 Bennu, spin timescales are an order of magnitude or more longer than obliquity timescales, which are of order 10^5 to 10^6 yr. The observed low obliquities (near 0 or 180 degrees) of top-shaped asteroids do not constitute evidence that they acquired their present shapes and spins through YORP spin-up, because low obliquities are expected regardless of the spin-up or reshaping mechanism., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, Icarus in press. 2 typos corrected, 1 arXiv reference added

We report radar observations (2380-MHz, 13-cm) by the Arecibo Observatory and optical light curves observed from eight different observatories and collected at the Ondřejov Observatory of the triple near-Earth asteroid system (153591) 2001 SN 263 . The radar observations were obtained over the course of ten nights spanning February 12–26, 2008 and the light curve observations were made throughout January 12 - March 31, 2008. Both data sets include observations during the object’s close approach of 0.06558 AU on February 20th, 2008. The delay-Doppler images revealed the asteroid to be comprised of three components, making it the first known triple near-Earth asteroid. Only one other object, (136617) 1994 CC is a confirmed triple near-Earth asteroid. We present physical models of the three components of the asteroid system. We constrain the primary’s pole direction to an ecliptic longitude and latitude of ( 309 ° , - 80 ° ) ± 15 ° . We find that the primary rotates with a period 3.4256 ± 0.0002 h and that the larger satellite has a rotation period of 13.43 ± 0.01 h , considerably shorter than its orbital period of approximately 6 days. We find that the rotation period of the smaller satellite is consistent with a tidally locked state and therefore rotates with a period of 0.686 ± 0.002 days (Fang et al. [2011]. Astron. J. 141, 154–168). The primary, the larger satellite, and the smaller satellite have equivalent diameters of 2.5 ± 0.3 km , 0.77 ± 0.12 km , 0.43 ± 0.14 km and densities of 1.1 ± 0.2 g / cm 3 , 1.0 ± 0.4 g / cm 3 , 2.3 ± 1.3 g / cm 3 , respectively.

The Mercury gravity field, spin-pole axis, rotation period, Love number, and ephemeris have been determined using the complete four years of MESSENGER tracking data from March 2011 to April 2015. The pole location and obliquity (1.99 ± 0.12 arcmin) is consistent with previous determinations. Since MESSENGER was in a highly elliptical orbit with periapsis in the far northern hemisphere, the gravity resolution over the surface of Mercury varies greatly from harmonic degree n = 12 at the south pole to n = 154 in a small region near the north pole which was covered with exceptionally low periapsis data near the end of mission. The gravity field MESS160A is determined to n = 160 and shows notable improvement in the correlation with topography. Three different constraint methods are used to generate the gravity field. The nominal method is a Kaula power law of 5 × 10−5/n2 to constraint the coefficients. One alternate constraint uses surface acceleration measurements, which only constrains the unobserved portion of the gravity field. The other constraint method sets the gravity uncertainties using the harmonic spectrum of the gravity derived from topography. The Mercury tidal Love number solution k2 = 0.53 ± 0.03 is larger than previous results but within suggested error bounds. In addition, the technique for estimating the Mercury ephemeris is discussed.

Most asteroid lightcurves are dominated by the second harmonic of the rotation period, caused by elongated shape. However, if the shape is not very elongate, other harmonics may dominate, leading to ambiguity of which is the true rotation period. We argue from geometry that at low phase angle, harmonics other than the second with amplitude exceeding ∼0.4 magnitude are nearly impossible, so lightcurves with larger amplitude than that suggest a unique period dominated by the second harmonic, unless the spin is complex, non-principal axis rotation. On the other hand, lightcurves with amplitude less than 0.2–0.3 magnitudes can be dominated by other harmonics, especially the 4th and 6th, so the period may be ambiguous unless odd harmonics can be found to identify the true rotation period. We present examples of each, low and high amplitude ambiguities.

Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) have garnered ever increasing attention over the past few years due to the insights they offer into Solar System formation and evolution, the potential hazard they pose, and their accessibility for both robotic and human spaceflight missions. Among the NEAs, carbonaceous asteroids hold particular interest because they may contain clues to how the Earth got its supplies of water and organic materials, and because none has yet been studied in detail by spacecraft. (101955) Bennu is special among NEAs in that it will not only be visited by a spacecraft, but the OSIRIS-REx mission will also return a sample of Bennu’s regolith to Earth for detailed laboratory study. This paper presents analysis of thermal infrared photometry and spectroscopy that test the hypotheses that Bennu is carbonaceous and that its surface is covered in fine-grained (sub-cm) regolith. The Spitzer Space Telescope observed Bennu in 2007, using the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) to obtain spectra over the wavelength range 5.2–38 μm and images at 16 and 22 μm at 10 different longitudes, as well as the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) to image Bennu at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 μm, also at 10 different longitudes. Thermophysical analysis, assuming a spherical body with the known rotation period and spin-pole orientation, returns an effective diameter of 484 ± 10 m, in agreement with the effective diameter calculated from the radar shape model at the orientation of the Spitzer observations (492 ± 20 m, Nolan, M.C., Magri, C., Howell, E.S., Benner, L.A.M., Giorgini, J.D., Hergenrother, C.W., Hudson, R.S., Lauretta, D.S., Margo, J.-L., Ostro, S.J., Scheeres, D.J. [2013]. Icarus 226, 629–640) and a visible geometric albedo of 0.046 ± 0.005 (using H v = 20.51, Hergenrother, C.W. et al. [2013]. Icarus 226, 663–670). Including the radar shape model in the thermal analysis, and taking surface roughness into account, yields a disk-averaged thermal inertia of 310 ± 70 J m −2 K −1 s −1/2 , which is significantly lower than several other NEAs of comparable size. There may be a small variation of thermal inertia with rotational phase (±60 J m −2 K −1 s −1/2 ). The spectral analysis is inconclusive in terms of surface mineralogy; the emissivity spectra have a relatively low signal-to-noise ratio and no spectral features are detected. The thermal inertia indicates average regolith grain size on the scale of several millimeters to about a centimeter. This moderate grain size is also consistent with low spectral contrast in the 7.5–20 μm spectral range. If real, the rotational variation in thermal inertia would be consistent with a change in average grain size of only about a millimeter. The thermophysical properties of Bennu’s surface appear to be fairly homogeneous longitudinally. A search for a dust coma failed to detect any extended emission, putting an upper limit of about 10 6 g of dust within 4750 km of Bennu. Three common methodologies for thermal modeling are compared, and some issues to be aware of when interpreting the results of such models are discussed. We predict that the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will find a low albedo surface with abundant sub-cm sized grains, fairly evenly distributed in longitude.

We use the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (GCM) dynamical core, in conjunction with a Newtonian relaxation scheme that relaxes to a gray, analytical solution of the radiative transfer equation, to simulate a tidally locked, synchronously orbiting super-Earth exoplanet. This hypothetical exoplanet is simulated under the following main assumptions: (1) the size, mass, and orbital characteristics of GJ 1214b (Charbonneau et al., 2009), (2) a greenhouse-gas dominated atmosphere, (3), the gas properties of water vapor, and (4) a surface. We have performed a parameter sweep over global mean surface pressure (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 bar) and global mean surface albedo (0.1, 0.4, and 0.7). Given assumption (1) above, the period of rotation of this exoplanet is 1.58 Earth-days, which we classify as the rapidly rotating regime. Our parameter sweep differs from Heng and Vogt (2011), who performed their study in the slowly rotating regime and using Held and Suarez (1994) thermal forcing. This type of thermal forcing is a prescribed function, not related to any radiative transfer, used to benchmark Earth's atmosphere. An equatorial, westerly, superrotating jet is a robust feature in our GCM results. This equatorial jet is westerly at all longitudes. At high latitudes, the flow is easterly. The zonal winds do show a change with global mean surface pressure. As global mean surface pressure increases, the speed of the equatorial jet decreases between 9 and 15 hours local time (substellar point is located at 12 hours local time). The latitudinal extent of the equatorial jet increases on the nightside. Furthermore, the zonal wind speed in the equatorial and midlatitude jets decreases with increasing surface albedo. Also, the latitudinal width of the equatorial jet decreases as surface albedo increases., second revision submitted to Icarus

Observations of asteroid 4 Vesta by NASA's Dawn spacecraft are interesting because its surface has the largest range of albedo, color and composition of any other asteroid visited by spacecraft to date. These hemispherical and rotational variations in surface brightness and composition have been attributed to impact processes since Vesta's formation. Prior to Dawn's arrival at Vesta, its surface properties were the focus of intense telescopic investigations for nearly a hundred years. Ground-based photometric and spectroscopic observations first revealed these variations followed later by those using Hubble Space Telescope. Here we compare interpretations of Vesta's rotation period, pole, albedo, topographic, color, and compositional properties from ground-based telescopes and HST with those from Dawn. Rotational spectral variations observed from ground-based studies are also consistent with those observed by Dawn. While the interpretation of some of these features was tenuous from past data, the interpretations were reasonable given the limitations set by spatial resolution and our knowledge of Vesta and HED meteorites at that time. Our analysis shows that ground-based and HST observations are critical for our understanding of small bodies and provide valuable support for ongoing and future spacecraft missions., Comment: Pages: 51, Figures: 9, Tables: 5

The pattern of insolation on an extrasolar planet has profound implications for its climate and habitability. A planet’s insolation regime depends on its orbital eccentricity, the obliquity of its spin axis, its rotation rate, and its longitude of vernal equinox. For example, although a planet receives the same time-averaged insolation at both poles, the peak insolation at its poles can differ by a factor up to 27, depending on its eccentricity and equinox. This is of particular interest for planets with polar icecaps (or lakes and seas), like Mercury, Earth, and Mars (or Titan). The nearly 600 exoplanets now with known eccentricities span a wide range of eccentricity from essentially zero up to near unity; but their obliquities are still unknown, and also may range widely. Including both non-zero eccentricity and obliquity together vastly broadens the variety of global insolation patterns on extrasolar planets. This applies especially to planets in synchronous rotation, or in other spin–orbit resonances (like Mercury), which can exhibit quite complicated and unusual insolation patterns. For example, regions of eternal daylight and endless night occur only on synchronous exoplanets, whose rotation periods equal their orbital periods; but the peak and time-averaged insolation can vary by factors of at least 32 and 88, respectively, over a planet with a rotation period of half its orbital period, an eccentricity of 0.20, and an obliquity of 60°. Patterns of both mean and peak insolation display various symmetries with respect to latitude and longitude on the planet’s surface. Most of these are relatively simple and easily understood; for example, a resonant planet whose orbital period is half of an odd multiple of its rotation period (as in Mercury’s 3/2 resonance) experiences identical insolation patterns at longitudes 180° apart. However, such half-odd resonances also exhibit a totally unexpected symmetry of the time-averaged insolation with respect to the planet’s equator, not shared by the peak insolation, or by any whole-number resonances. This emergent symmetry can be understood by Fourier analysis of the time-varying insolation.

We present results from a program of optical light curve observations of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) with diameters under 1 km, designed to detect, and determine the distribution of, rotation periods shorter than a few hours. We obtain measurements or estimates of rotation period P for approximately one third of the 83 NEAs observed. Most of the measured periods are in the fast-rotating asteroid (FRA) regime ( P H . We find that the FRA fraction F rises sharply from zero to a value statistically consistent with unity from H = 21.4 to H = 23.6, a span corresponding to a factor of only 2.8 in nominal diameter. Almost nothing larger than 170 m, and almost everything smaller than 60 m, is a fast rotator, assuming a mean S class albedo of 0.17. The formal 95% confidence limits are F H F > 56% for 23.6 H H . Determining this distribution to the accuracy needed to constrain the physical properties of NEAs and their dynamical evolution will require larger samples, and homogeneous, unbiased reporting of the data, including accurate errors, for all objects observed, not just those with measured periods.

We derive the spin state of the nucleus of Comet 103P/Hartley 2, its orientation in space, and its short-term temporal evolution from a mixture of observations taken from the DIXI (Deep Impact Extended Investigation) spacecraft and radar observations. The nucleus is found to spin in an excited long-axis mode (LAM) with its rotational angular momentum per unit mass, M, and rotational energy per unit mass, E, slowly decreasing while the degree of excitation in the spin increases through perihelion passage. M is directed toward (RA, Dec; J2000) = 8+/-+/- 4 deg., 54 +/- 1 deg. (obliquity = 48 +/- 1 deg.). This direction is likely changing, but the change is probably

Observations from the second encounter of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 by the Stardust-NExT spacecraft provide an improved shape model and rotational pole for the nucleus (Thomas, P.C. et al. [2012]. Icarus 222, 453–466) that allows us to greatly improve our knowledge of its rotational evolution beyond that outlined earlier in Belton et al. (Belton, M.J.S. et al. [2011]. Icarus 213, 345–368). Model light curves are shown to fit observations at both perihelia with a single pole direction indicating that polar precession during a single perihelion passage is small. We show that the rotational phasing associated with observations taken far from perihelion in the previous work was incorrectly assessed by approximately half a cycle leading us to a significant reassessment of the evolution of the non-gravitational torques acting on the nucleus. We present an updated spin rate profile (torque model) for the 2005 perihelion passage and show that retardation of the spin rate well before perihelion is no longer a required feature. With the exception of the spin rate before the 2000 perihelion passage, the evolution of rotational rates through the three most recent perihelion passages is largely unaffected as is the prediction of the rotational phase of the comet’s nucleus at the Stardust-NExT near-perihelion encounter. We find a spin rate of 209.4 ± 0.01°/d likely applies in the quiescent period before the 2000 perihelion, a 0.2% change, and that the rotational period shortened by 12.3 ± 0.2 min during the 2000 perihelion passage. We present an analysis of Stardust-NExT time-series photometry that yields a spin rate near 213.3 ± 0.8°/d at the time of encounter. An application of the 2005 torque model suggests that, while roughly similar, the torques were probably weaker during the 2011 perihelion passage.

Saturn’s satellite Phoebe is the best-characterized representative of large outer Solar System planetesimals, thanks to the close flyby by the Cassini spacecraft in June 2004. We explore the information contained in Phoebe’s physical properties, density and shape, which are significantly different from those of other icy objects in its size range. Phoebe’s higher density has been interpreted as evidence that it was captured, probably from the proto-Kuiper-Belt. First, we demonstrate that Phoebe’s shape is globally relaxed and consistent with a spheroid in hydrostatic equilibrium with its rotation period. This distinguishes the satellite from ‘rubble-piles’ that are thought to result from the disruption of larger proto-satellites. We numerically model the geophysical evolution of Phoebe, accounting for the feedback between porosity and thermal state. We compare thermal evolution models for different assumptions on the formation of Phoebe, in particular the state of its water, amorphous or crystalline. We track the evolution of porosity and thermal conductivity as well as the destabilization of amorphous ice or clathrate hydrates. While rubble-piles may never reach temperatures suitable for porous ice to creep and relax, we argue that Phoebe’s shape could have relaxed due to heat from the decay of 26Al, provided that this object formed less than 3 Myr after the production of the calcium–aluminum inclusions. This is consistent with the idea that Phoebe could be an exemplar of planetesimals that formed in the transneptunian region and later accreted onto outer planet satellites, either during the satellite’s formation stage, or still later, during the late heavy bombardment.

We performed a complete wavelet analysis of Saturn’s C ring on 62 stellar occultation profiles. These profiles were obtained by Cassini’s Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph High Speed Photometer. We used a WWZ wavelet power transform to analyze them. With a co-adding process, we found evidence of 40 wavelike structures, 18 of which are reported here for the first time. Seventeen of these appear to be propagating waves (wavelength changing systematically with distance from Saturn). The longest new wavetrain in the C ring is a 52-km-long wave in a plateau at 86,397 km. We produced a complete map of resonances with external satellites and possible structures rotating with Saturn’s rotation period up to the eighth order, allowing us to associate a previously observed wave with the Atlas 2:1 inner Lindblad resonance (ILR) and newly detected waves with the Mimas 6:2 ILR and the Pandora 4:2 ILR. We derived surface mass densities and mass extinction coefficients, finding σ = 0.22(±0.03) g cm −2 for the Atlas 2:1 ILR, σ = 1.31(±0.20) g cm −2 for the Mimas 6:2 ILR, and σ = 1.42(±0.21) g cm −2 for the Pandora 4:2 ILR. We determined a range of mass extinction coefficients ( κ = τ / σ ) for the waves associated with resonances with κ = 0.13 (±0.03) to 0.28(±0.06) cm 2 g −1 , where τ is the optical depth. These values are higher than the reported values for the A ring (0.01–0.02 cm 2 g −1 ) and the Cassini Division (0.07–0.12 cm 2 g −1 from Colwell et al. (Colwell, J.E., Cooney, J.H., Esposito, L.W., Sremcevic, M. [2009]. Icarus 200, 574–580)). We also note that the mass extinction coefficient is probably not constant across the C ring (in contrast to the A ring and the Cassini Division): it is systematically higher in the plateaus than elsewhere, suggesting smaller particles in the plateaus. We present the results of our analysis of these waves in the C ring and estimate the mass of the C ring to be between3.7(±0.9) × 10 16 kg and 7.9(±2.0) × 10 16 kg (equivalent to an icy satellite of radius between 28.0(±2.3) km and 36.2(±3.0) km with a density of 400 kg m −3 , close to that of Pan or Atlas). Using the ring viscosity derived from the wave damping length, we also estimate the vertical thickness of the C ring between 1.9(±0.4) m and 5.6(±1.4) m, comparable to the vertical thickness of the Cassini Division.

Axisymmetric models of the outgassing of a cometary nucleus have been constructed. Such models can be used to describe a nucleus with a single active region. The models may include a solar zenith angle dependence of the outgassing. They retrieve the outgassing flux at distances from the nucleus where collisions between molecules are unimportant, as function of the angle with respect to the outgassing axis. The observed emissions must be optically thin. Furthermore the models assume that the outflow speed at large distance from the nucleus does not depend on direction. The value of the outflow speed is retrieved. The models are applied to CN images and HCN spectra of Comet 2P/Encke, obtained nearly simultaneously in November 2003 with the 2 m optical telescope on Mount Rozhen, Bulgaria, and with the 10 m Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope on Mount Graham, Arizona, USA. According to Sekanina (1988) , Astron. J. 95, 911–924, at that time a single outgassing source was active. Input parameters to the models like the rotation period of the nucleus and a small correction to Sekanina’s rotation axis are determined from a simpler jet position angle model. The rotation is prograde with a sideric period of 11.056 ± 0.024 h, in agreement with literature values. The best fit model has an outflow speed of 0.95 ± 0.04 km s−1. The same value has been derived from the corkscrew appearing in the CN images. The location of the outgassing axis is at colatitude δa = 7.4° ± 2.9° and longitude λa = 235° ± 17° (a definition of zero longitude is provided). Comet Encke’s outgassing corresponds approximately to the longitudinally averaged solar input on a spherical nucleus (i.e. very likely comes from deeper layers) but with some deficiency of outgassing at mid-latitudes and non-zero outgassing from the dark polar cap. The presence of gas flow from the dark polar cap is explained as evidence of gas flow across the terminator. The models rely mostly on the CN images. The HCN spectra are more noisy. They provide information how to determine the best fit outflow velocity and the sense of rotation. The model HCN spectra are distinctly non-Gaussian. Within error limits they are consistent with the observations. Models based solely on the HCN spectra are also presented but, because of the lower quality of the data and the unfavorable observing geometry, yield inferior results. As a by-product we determine the CN parent life time from our CN observations. The solar EUV and Lyα radiation field at the time of our observations is taken into account.

We observed near-Earth Asteroid (8567) 1996 HW1 at the Arecibo Observatory on six dates in September 2008, obtaining radar images and spectra. By combining these data with an extensive set of new lightcurves taken during 2008–2009 and with previously published lightcurves from 2005, we were able to reconstruct the object’s shape and spin state. 1996 HW1 is an elongated, bifurcated object with maximum diameters of 3.8 × 1.6 × 1.5 km and a contact-binary shape. It is the most bifurcated near-Earth asteroid yet studied and one of the most elongated as well. The sidereal rotation period is 8.76243 ± 0.00004 h and the pole direction is within 5° of ecliptic longitude and latitude (281°, −31°). Radar astrometry has reduced the orbital element uncertainties by 27% relative to the a priori orbit solution that was based on a half-century of optical data. Simple dynamical arguments are used to demonstrate that this asteroid could have originated as a binary system that tidally decayed and merged.

Circulations and habitable zones of planets orbiting low-mass stars are investigated. Many of these planets are expected to rotate synchronously relative to their parent stars, thereby raising questions about their surface temperature distributions and habitability. We use a global circulation model to study idealized, synchronously rotating (tidally locked) planets of various rotation periods, with surfaces of all land or all water, but with an Earth-like atmosphere and solar insolation. The dry planets exhibit wide variations in surface temperature: >80 °C on the dayside to −60 °C for the 240-h orbiter. They also have a larger habitable area, defined here as the region where average surface temperatures are between 0 °C and 50 °C. This concept has little relevance for either dry or aquaplanets, but might become relevant on a planet with both land area and oceans. The circulations on these tidally locked planets exhibit systematic changes as the rotation period is varied. However, they also reveal abrupt transitions between two different circulation regimes and multiple equilibria. For the dry planet, the transition occurs between a 4-day and a 5-day period, while for the aquaplanet, it occurs between a 3-day and a 4-day period. For both dry and aqua planets, this transition occurs when the Rossby deformation radius exceeds half the planetary radius. Further investigation on the dry planet reveals that multiple equilibria exist between 100- and 221-h periods. These multiple equilibria may be relevant for real planets within the habitable zones of late K and M stars, because these planets are expected to have rotation periods between 8 and 100 Earth days.

All planetary bodies with old surfaces exhibit planetary-scale impact craters: vast scars caused by the large impacts at the end of Solar System accretion or the late heavy bombardment. Here we investigate the geophysical consequences of planetary-scale impacts into a Mars-like planet, by simulating the events using a smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model. Our simulations probe impact energies over two orders of magnitude (2 × 10^(27)–6 × 10^(29) J), impact velocities from the planet’s escape velocity to twice Mars’ orbital velocity (6–50 km/s), and impact angles from head-on to highly oblique (0–75°). The simulation results confirm that for planetary-scale impacts, surface curvature, radial gravity, the large relative size of the impactor to the planet, and the greater penetration of the impactor, contribute to significant differences in the geophysical expression compared to small craters, which can effectively be treated as acting in a half-space. The results show that the excavated crustal cavity size and the total melt production scale similarly for both small and planetary-scale impacts as a function of impact energy. However, in planetary-scale impacts a significant fraction of the melt is sequestered at depth and thus does not contribute to resetting the planetary surface; complete surface resetting is likely only in the most energetic (6 × 10^(29) J), slow, and head-on impacts simulated. A crater rim is not present for planetary-scale impacts with energies >10^(29) J and angles ≤45°, but rather the ejecta is more uniformly distributed over the planetary surface. Antipodal crustal removal and melting is present for energetic (>10^(29) J), fast (>6 km/s), and low angle (≤45°) impacts. The most massive impactors (with both high impact energy and low velocity) contribute sufficient angular momentum to increase the rotation period of the Mars-sized target to about a day. Impact velocities of >20 km/s result in net mass erosion from the target, for all simulated energies and angles. The hypothesized impact origin of planetary structures may be tested by the presence and distribution of the geochemically-distinct impactor material.

We extend previous work on the global tectonic patterns generated by despinning with a self-consistent treatment of the isotropic despinning contraction that has been ignored. We provide simple analytic approximations that quantify the effect of the isotropic despinning contraction on the global shape and tectonic pattern. The isotropic despinning contraction of Mercury is ∼93 m (T/1 day)−2, where T is the initial rotation period. If we take into account both the isotropic contraction and the degree-2 deformations associated with despinning, the preponderance of compressional tectonic features on Mercury’s surface requires an additional isotropic contraction ≳1 km (T/1 day)−2, presumably due to cooling of the interior and growth of the solid inner core. The isotropic despinning contraction of Iapetus is ∼9 m (T/16 h)−2, and it is not sensitive to the presence of a core or the thickness of the elastic lithosphere. The tectonic pattern expected for despinning, including the isotropic contraction, does not explain Iapetus’ ridge. Furthermore, the ridge remains unexplained with the addition of any isotropic compressional stresses, including those generating by cooling.

The rotation period derived by Mueller and Samarasinha (Mueller, B.E.A., Samarasinha, N.H. [2002]. Earth Moon Planets 90, 463–471) of the Deep Space 1 (DS1) mission target, Comet 19P/Borrelly, using ground-based data from July 28 to August 1, 2000, is improved by two orders of magnitude. This precision is reached in a multistep process. Combining all available ground-based data in 2000 decreases the error by an order of magnitude. Next, assuming that the rotation period did not change between 2000 and 2001, constraints from the HST 2001 data (Weaver, H.A., Stern, S.A., Parker, J.Wm. [2003]. Astron. J. 126, 444–451) yield three possible rotation periods: P = 1.088 ± 0.003 days, P = 1.108 ± 0.002 days, and P = 1.135 ± 0.003 days, which are consistent with our initial derivation of P = 1.08 ± 0.04 days (Mueller, B.E.A., Samarasinha, N.H. [2002]. Earth Moon Planets 90, 463–471). These three periods are further refined and the error bars further improved by another order of magnitude by linking the combined ground-based data from 2000 to the nuclear orientation of Borrelly at the DS1 encounter in 2001 (see Table 2 ). Due to aliasing, there are seven possible rotation periods around P = 1.088 days, five possible periods around P = 1.108 days, and six possible periods around P = 1.135 days, with precisions of the order of 0.0002 days (≈17 s).

Arecibo (2380 MHz, 12.6 cm) and Goldstone (8560 MHz, 3.5 cm) delay-Doppler radar images obtained in July and August of 2000 reveal that 4486 Mithra is an irregular, significantly bifurcated object, with a central valley ∼380 m deep and a long axis potentially exceeding 2 km. With its bimodal appearance, Mithra is a strong candidate for a contact binary asteroid. Sequences of Goldstone images spanning up to 3 h per day show very little rotation and establish that Mithra is an unusually slow rotator. We used Goldstone and Arecibo data to estimate Mithra’s 3D shape and spin state. We obtain prograde ( λ = 337°, β = 19°) and retrograde ( λ = 154°, β = −19°) models that give comparable fits, have very similar shapes roughly resembling an hourglass, and have a rotation period of 67.5 ± 6.0 h. The dimensions of these two models are very similar; for the prograde solution the maximum dimensions are X = 2.35 ± 0.15 km, Y = 1.65 ± 0.10 km, Z = 1.44 ± 0.10 km. Dynamical analysis of our models suggests that in the past, Mithra most likely went through a period of even slower rotation with its obliquity close to 90°. The spin rate is predicted to be increasing due to thermal torque (YORP), while the obliquity, which is currently +68° and +106° for the prograde and retrograde models, respectively, is predicted to move away from 90°.