scholarly journals Thermophysical Characteristics of OSIRIS-REx Target Asteroid (101955) Bennu

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (S318) ◽  
pp. 218-220
Author(s):  
Liangliang Yu ◽  
Jianghui Ji

AbstractIn this work, we investigate the thermophysical properties, including thermal inertia, roughness fraction and surface grain size of OSIRIS-REx target asteroid (101955) Bennu by using a thermophysical model with the recently updated 3D radar-derived shape model (Nolan et al., 2013) and mid-infrared observations (Müller et al. 2012, Emery et al., 2014). We find that the asteroid bears an effective diameter of 510+6−40 m, a geometric albedo of 0.047+0.0083−0.0011, a roughness fraction of 0.04+0.26−0.04, and thermal inertia of 240+440−60 Jm−2s−0.5K−1 for our best-fit solution. The best-estimate thermal inertia suggests that fine-grained regolith may cover a large portion of Bennu's surface, where a grain size may vary from 1.3 to 31 mm. Our outcome suggests that Bennu is suitable for the OSIRIS-REx mission to return samples to Earth.

2020 ◽  
Vol 638 ◽  
pp. A84
Author(s):  
V. Alí-Lagoa ◽  
T. G. Müller ◽  
C. Kiss ◽  
R. Szakáts ◽  
G. Marton ◽  
...  

Non-resolved thermal infrared observations enable studies of thermal and physical properties of asteroids via thermo-physical models provided the shape and rotational properties of the target are well determined. We used calibration-programme Herschel PACS data (70, 100, 160 μm) and state-of-the-art shape models derived from adaptive-optics observations and/or optical light curves to constrain for the first time the thermal inertia of twelve large main-belt asteroids. We also modelled previously well-characterised targets such as (1) Ceres or (4) Vesta as they constitute important benchmarks. Using the scale as a free parameter, most targets required a re-scaling ~5% consistent with what would be expected given the absolute calibration error bars. This constitutes a good cross-validation of the scaled shape models, although some targets required larger re-scaling to reproduce the IR data. We obtained low thermal inertias typical of large main belt asteroids studied before, which continues to give support to the notion that these surfaces are covered by fine-grained insulating regolith. Although the wavelengths at which PACS observed are longwards of the emission peak for main-belt asteroids, they proved to be extremely valuable to constrain size and thermal inertia and not too sensitive to surface roughness. Finally, we also propose a graphical approach to help examine how different values of the exponent used for scaling the thermal inertia as a function of heliocentric distance (i.e. temperature) affect our interpretation of the results.


Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 2669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Nowicki ◽  
Richard D. Inman ◽  
Todd C. Esque ◽  
Kenneth E. Nussear ◽  
Christopher S. Edwards

Daytime and nighttime thermal infrared observations acquired by the ASTER and MODIS instruments onboard the NASA Terra spacecraft have produced a dataset that can be used to map thermophysical properties across large regions, which have implications on surface processes, thermal environments and habitat suitability for desert species. ASTER scenes acquired between 2004 and 2012 are combined using new mosaicking and data-fusion techniques to produce a map of daytime and nighttime land surface temperature with coverage exclusive of the effects of clouds and weather. These data are combined with Landsat 7 visible imagery to generate a consistent map of apparent thermal inertia (ATI), which is related to the presence of exposed bedrock, rocks, fine-grained sediments and water on the surface. The resulting datasets are compared to known geomorphic units and surface types to generate an interpreted mechanical composition map of the entire Mojave Desert at 100 m per pixel that is most sensitive to large clast size distinctions in grain size distribution.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takehiko Arai ◽  
Tatsuaki Okada ◽  
Satoshi Tanaka ◽  
Tetsuya Fukuhara ◽  
Hirohide Demura ◽  
...  

Abstract The thermal infrared imager (TIR) onboard the Hayabusa2 spacecraft performed thermographic observations of the asteroid 162173 Ryugu (1999 JU3) from June 2018 to November 2019. In this study, we performed a geometric correction for TIR images by making a one-to-one correspondence between the observed areas and the surface coordinates derived from a shape model of Ryugu. The pointing direction, which is an alignment direction of TIR, was adjusted by rotating the TIR frame relative to the base of the Hayabusa2 frame using a least-squares fit. This geometric correction allows us to identify observed local areas within one pixel, which corresponds to 5 m error in a 5 km altitude observation. The corrected temperature images projected onto the shape model were constructed. Hot temperature regions were found at the base of Ejima Saxum and Otohime Saxum, for instance. A simulation result indicates that multiple radiations from the surrounding terrains generate hot regions. The estimated thermal inertia of the base of Ejima Saxum as characteristic shape area is approximately 300 Jm -2 s -0.5 K -1 within the error bars of the observed temperature profile. This estimation is succeeded by performing the geometric correction in case that the surface topographic features are greater than the spatial resolution of the pixel. However, thermal inertia estimations of smooth terrains, such as the floor of Urashima crater, were difficult probably because of surface roughness effects. Our results suggest the necessity to develop a hybrid thermophysical model that implements large- and small-scale surface roughness.


2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (S236) ◽  
pp. 261-266
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Müller ◽  
T. Sekiguchi ◽  
M. Kaasalainen ◽  
M. Abe ◽  
S. Hasegawa

AbstractPre-encounter ground-based thermal observations of NEA 25143 Itokawa at 10μm led to a size prediction of 520(±50) × 270(±30) × 230(±20)m, corresponding to an effective diameter of DTPMeff= 318m (Müller et al.2005). This is in almost perfect agreement with the final in-situ results 535 × 294 × 209m (DHayabusaeff= 320m; Demura et al.2006). The corresponding radar value, based on the same shape model (Kaasalainen et al.2005), were about 20% too high: 594 × 320 × 288m (DRadareff= 379m; Ostro et al.2005). The very simple N-band observations revealed a surface which is dominated by bare rocks rather than a thick regolith layer. This prediction was nicely confirmed by the Hayabusa mission (e.g., Fujiwara et al.2006; Saito et al.2006). The ground-based measurements covered three different phase angles which enabled us to determine the thermal properties with unprecedented accuracy and in excellent agreement with the results from the touch-down measurements (Okada et al.2006; Yano et al.2006). These thermal values are also key ingredients for high precision Yarkovsky and YORP calculations (mainly the rotation slowing) for Itokawa (e.g., Vokrouhlický et al.2004; Vokrouhlický et al.2005). In addition to the above mentioned properties, our data allowed us to derive the surface albedo and to estimate the total mass. We believe that with our well-tested and calibrated radiometric techniques (Lagerros 1996,1997,1998; Müller & Lagerros 1998, 2002; Müller 2002) we have tools at hand to distinguish between monolithic, regolith-covered and rubble pile near-Earth objects by only using remote thermal observations. This project also emphasizes the high and so far not yet fully exploited potential of thermophysical modeling techniques for the NEA/NEO exploration.


2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takehiko Arai ◽  
Tatsuaki Okada ◽  
Satoshi Tanaka ◽  
Tetsuya Fukuhara ◽  
Hirohide Demura ◽  
...  

AbstractThe thermal infrared imager (TIR) onboard the Hayabusa2 spacecraft performed thermographic observations of the asteroid 162173 Ryugu (1999 JU$$_3$$ 3 ) from June 2018 to November 2019. Our previous reports revealed that the surface of Ryugu was globally filled with porous materials and had high surface roughness. These results were derived from making the observed temperature maps of TIR using a projection method onto the shape model of Ryugu as geometric corrections. The pointing directions of TIR were calculated using an interpolation of data from the SPICE kernels (NASA/NAIF) during the periods when the optical navigation camera (ONC) and the light detection and ranging (LIDAR) observations were performed. However, the mapping accuracy of the observed TIR images was degraded when the ONC and LIDAR were not performed with TIR. Also, the orbital and attitudinal fluctuations of Hayabusa2 increased the error of the temperature maps. In this paper, to solve the temperature image mapping problems, we improved the correction method by fitting all of the observed TIR images with the surface coordinate addressed on the high-definition shape model of Ryugu (SFM 800k v20180804). This correction adjusted the pointing direction of TIR by rotating the TIR frame relative to the Hayabusa2 frame using a least squares fit. As a result, the temperature maps spatially spreading areas were converged within high-resolved $$0.5^\circ$$ 0 . 5 ∘ by $$0.5^\circ$$ 0 . 5 ∘ maps. The estimated thermal inertia, for instance, was approximately 300$$\sim$$ ∼ 350 Jm$$^{-2}$$ - 2 s$$^{-0.5}$$ - 0.5 K$$^{-1}$$ - 1 at the hot area of the Ejima Saxum. This estimation was succeeded in case that the surface topographic features were larger than the pixel scale of TIR. However, the thermal inertia estimation of smooth terrains, such as the Urashima crater, was difficult because of surface roughness effects, where roughness was probably much smaller than the pixel scale of TIR.


Author(s):  
Cristian F Chavez ◽  
T G Müller ◽  
J P Marshall ◽  
J Horner ◽  
H Drass ◽  
...  

Abstract The Hilda asteroids are among the least studied populations in the asteroid belt, despite their potential importance as markers of Jupiter’s migration in the early Solar system. We present new mid-infrared observations of two notable Hildas, (1162) Larissa and (1911) Schubart, obtained using the Faint Object infraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope (FORCAST), and use these to characterise their thermal inertia and physical properties. For (1162) Larissa, we obtain an effective diameter of 46.5$^{+2.3}_{-1.7}$ km, an albedo of 0.12 ± 0.02, and a thermal inertia of 15$^{+10}_{-8}$ Jm−2s1/2K−1. In addition, our Larissa thermal measurements are well matched with an ellipsoidal shape with an axis ratio a/b=1.2 for the most-likely spin properties. Our modelling of (1911) Schubart is not as refined, but the thermal data point towards a high-obliquity spin-pole, with a best-fit a/b=1.3 ellipsoidal shape. This spin-shape solution is yielding a diameter of 72$^{+3}_{-4}$ km, an albedo of 0.039± 0.02, and a thermal inertia below 30 Jm−2s1/2K−1 (or 10$^{+20}_{-5}$ Jm−2s1/2K−1). As with (1162) Larissa, our results suggest that (1911) Schubart is aspherical, and likely elongated in shape. Detailed dynamical simulations of the two Hildas reveal that both exhibit strong dynamical stability, behaviour that suggests that they are primordial, rather than captured objects. The differences in their albedos, along with their divergent taxonomical classification, suggests that despite their common origin, the two have experienced markedly different histories.


2021 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Adam Soule ◽  
Michael Zoeller ◽  
Carolyn Parcheta

AbstractHawaiian and other ocean island lava flows that reach the coastline can deposit significant volumes of lava in submarine deltas. The catastrophic collapse of these deltas represents one of the most significant, but least predictable, volcanic hazards at ocean islands. The volume of lava deposited below sea level in delta-forming eruptions and the mechanisms of delta construction and destruction are rarely documented. Here, we report on bathymetric surveys and ROV observations following the Kīlauea 2018 eruption that, along with a comparison to the deltas formed at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō over the past decade, provide new insight into delta formation. Bathymetric differencing reveals that the 2018 deltas contain more than half of the total volume of lava erupted. In addition, we find that the 2018 deltas are comprised largely of coarse-grained volcanic breccias and intact lava flows, which contrast with those at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō that contain a large fraction of fine-grained hyaloclastite. We attribute this difference to less efficient fragmentation of the 2018 ‘a‘ā flows leading to fragmentation by collapse rather than hydrovolcanic explosion. We suggest a mechanistic model where the characteristic grain size influences the form and stability of the delta with fine grain size deltas (Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō) experiencing larger landslides with greater run-out supported by increased pore pressure and with coarse grain size deltas (Kīlauea 2018) experiencing smaller landslides that quickly stop as the pore pressure rapidly dissipates. This difference, if validated for other lava deltas, would provide a means to assess potential delta stability in future eruptions.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 653
Author(s):  
Shereef Bankole ◽  
Dorrik Stow ◽  
Zeinab Smillie ◽  
Jim Buckman ◽  
Helen Lever

Distinguishing among deep-water sedimentary facies has been a difficult task. This is possibly due to the process continuum in deep water, in which sediments occur in complex associations. The lack of definite sedimentological features among the different facies between hemipelagites and contourites presented a great challenge. In this study, we present detailed mudrock characteristics of the three main deep-water facies based on sedimentological characteristics, laser diffraction granulometry, high-resolution, large area scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the synchrotron X-ray diffraction technique. Our results show that the deep-water microstructure is mainly process controlled, and that the controlling factor on their grain size is much more complex than previously envisaged. Retarding current velocity, as well as the lower carrying capacity of the current, has an impact on the mean size and sorting for the contourite and turbidite facies, whereas hemipelagite grain size is impacted by the natural heterogeneity of the system caused by bioturbation. Based on the microfabric analysis, there is a disparate pattern observed among the sedimentary facies; turbidites are generally bedding parallel due to strong currents resulting in shear flow, contourites are random to semi-random as they are impacted by a weak current, while hemipelagites are random to oblique since they are impacted by bioturbation.


1987 ◽  
Vol 33 (115) ◽  
pp. 274-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Cole

AbstractThis paper presents and discusses the results of constant deformation-rate tests on laboratory-prepared polycrystalline ice. Strain-rates ranged from 10−7to 10−1s−1, grain–size ranged from 1.5 to 5.8 mm, and the test temperature was −5°C.At strain-rates between 10−7and 10−3s−1, the stress-strain-rate relationship followed a power law with an exponent ofn= 4.3 calculated without regard to grain-size. However, a reversal in the grain-size effect was observed: below a transition point near 4 × 10−6s−1the peak stress increased with increasing grain-size, while above the transition point the peak stress decreased with increasing grain-size. This latter trend persisted to the highest strain-rates observed. At strain-rates above 10−3s−1the peak stress became independent of strain-rate.The unusual trends exhibited at the lower strain-rates are attributed to the influence of the grain-size on the balance of the operative deformation mechanisms. Dynamic recrystallization appears to intervene in the case of the finer-grained material and serves to lower the peak stress. At comparable strain-rates, however, the large-grained material still experiences internal micro-fracturing, and thin sections reveal extensive deformation in the grain-boundary regions that is quite unlike the appearance of the strain-induced boundary migration characteristic of the fine-grained material.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. M. Praveen ◽  
T. V. Venkatesha

Zn-Fe alloy electrodeposition was carried out in the presence of condensation product 2-{[(1E)-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)methylidene]amino}-3-hydroxypropanoic acid formed between veratraldehyde and serine in acid sulphate bath. Hull cell was used for optimizing the operating parameters and bath constituents. During deposition, the potential was shifted towards cathodic direction in the presence of addition agents and brightener. The polarization studies show that deposition taking place in basic bath and optimum bath was 1.08 and 1.15 V, respectively. Current efficiency and throwing power were reached around 85% and 26%, respectively. The SEM images of bright deposit indicated its fine-grained nature and appreciable reduction in the grain size. XRD studies have showed that the grain size of the deposit generated from optimum bath was 16 nm. UV-visible spectroscopic studies confirm the formation of complex between metal ion and brightener.


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