The largest ever paper on radar observations of near-Earth asteroids has been published, compiling years of data from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.
Using delay Doppler radar observations collected from the observatory between December 2017 and December 2019, the study includes radar cross-sections of 191 asteroids and Doppler frequency broadening. These data can be used as clues to the rotation periods and sizes of asteroids, as well as the polarization of 110 of them, which could help understand surface and subsurface properties.
Thirty-seven asteroids were presented in more detail with a more accurate size assessment, preliminary shape assessment, information on how reflective they are in radar, and whether radar observations match visual and near-infrared observations. .
The book was recently published in The Journal of Planetary Science.
As one of the only papers of its kind to include a large number of asteroid targets, the study serves as a “treasure trove of data” for planetary scientists, given that most existing publications focus only on one object at a time, says Anne Virkki, the study’s lead author and researcher in the Department of Physics at the University of Helsinki in Finland.
The large amount of asteroid data in the study is important for many reasons, the researchers say.
For example, characteristics of several potentially dangerous asteroids are included in the document, which is noteworthy as Arecibo observations have contributed to past planetary defense efforts, including the recent DART mission.
Although the Arecibo Planetary Radar Group is focused on supporting NASA’s planetary defense program, the wealth of information from the study also has economic benefits, providing asteroid mining companies with asteroid data. close to the Earth rich in metals and ice containing resources of interest.
The diversity of data on asteroids in general also gives other scientists clues about the formation and evolution of the solar system.
Radar is the best ground-based tool for characterizing near-Earth asteroids, says Flaviane Venditti, head of the Arecibo Planetary Radar Science Group and co-author of the study.
“The amount of valuable data collected is unique, and these results could not have been achieved with any other existing facility,” says Venditti.
Although the telescope collapsed in 2020, scientists continue to analyze the backlog of data collected from it.
Additional Results
Through the study, scientists discovered two near-Earth asteroids with abnormally high radar albedos, or radar reflectivity, suggesting they may be metal-rich. The possibility of two more is significant; few metal-rich NEAs have been found so far.
Another high radar albedo near-Earth asteroid, rare equal-mass binary 2017 YE5, has been suggested to have ice beneath its surface instead of metal-rich due to its low bulk density. Classified in the study as a D-type NEA, 2017 YE5 is potentially the first of its kind observed using radar.
Further classifications were made with scientists listing five possible enstatite-rich, or E-type, asteroids that had not been identified as such before, using radar polarization information.
The data was accompanied by numerous images of asteroids at 7.5 m resolution, a feature uncommon in the existing literature. No ground-based instrument other than radar can take images at sub-10m resolution of any celestial object farther than the moon, and until the telescope’s collapse in 2020, Arecibo’s radar was the radar the most powerful and sensitive planetary planet in the world.
Future research
Although abundant in its data, the study leaves doors open for further research.
“This article is like a teaser for a full movie,” says Virkki.
Venditti says the data from the research shows just how rich the information obtained with the radar is.
“In fact, there is still plenty of high-quality data to analyze in detail, which could even support the planning of future spacecraft missions on small bodies,” Venditti said.
Arecibo Observatory Scientists Help Solve the Mystery of the Surprise Asteroid
Anne K. Virkki et al, Arecibo Planetary Radar Observations of Near-Earth Asteroids: 2017 December–2019 December, The Journal of Planetary Science (2022). DOI: 10.3847/PSJ/ac8b72
Provided by the University of Central Florida
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