Abstract
AbstractLittle is known about Earth quasi-satellites, a class of near-Earth small solar system bodies that orbit the sun but remain close to the Earth, because they are faint and difficult to observe. Here we use the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) and the Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT) to conduct a comprehensive physical characterization of quasi-satellite (469219) Kamoʻoalewa and assess its affinity with other groups of near-Earth objects. We find that (469219) Kamoʻoalewa rotates with a period of 28.3 (+1.8/−1.3) minutes and displays a reddened reflectance spectrum from 0.4–2.2 microns. This spectrum is indicative of a silicate-based composition, but with reddening beyond what is typically seen amongst asteroids in the inner solar system. We compare the spectrum to those of several material analogs and conclude that the best match is with lunar-like silicates. This interpretation implies extensive space weathering and raises the prospect that Kamo’oalewa could comprise lunar material.
Funder
NASA Near-Earth Object Observations Program Grant NNX17AJ19G
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
General Earth and Planetary Sciences,General Environmental Science
Reference62 articles.
1. de la Fuente Marcos, C., de la Fuente Marcos, R. & Asteroid (469219) 2016 HO3, the smallest and closest Earth quasi-satellite. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 462, 3441–3456 (2016).
2. The International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center. (469219) Kamo’oalewa. https://minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=469219.
3. Jin, W. et al. Simulation of global GM estimate of Asteroid (469219) 2016 HO3 for China’s future asteroid mission. EPSC 2019, EPSC-DPS2019-1485. (2019)
4. Li, X., Qiao, D., Huang, J., Han, H. & Meng, L. Dynamics and control of proximity operations for asteroid exploration mission. Sci. Sin. Phys. Mech. Astron 49, 084508 (2019).
5. Venigalla, C. et al. Near-Earth Asteroid Characterization and Observation (NEACO) Mission to Asteroid (469219) 2016 HO3. JSpRo 56, 1121–1136 (2019).
Cited by
9 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献