NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2010A-0400
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2010A-0400 |
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PI: Linda M. French, Illinois Wesleyan University, lfrench@iwu.edu
Address: Department of Physics, P.O. Box 2900, Bloomington, IL 61702, USA
CoI: Susan Lederer, California State University San Bernardino
CoI: Robert Stephens, Goat Mountain Astronomical Research Station
Title: Phase Curves of Jovian Trojan Asteroids
Abstract:
The provenance of the Jovian Trojan asteroids, found at the stable
L4 and L5 Lagrange points of Jupiter's orbit, has long been a topic of
debate. For decades most researchers believed that they formed in situ,
but recent evidence, both theoretical and observational, suggests that
the Trojans may have formed at greater heliocentric distances. The
observational evidence is based primarily upon the similar spectral
properties and albedos of large Trojans to those of cometary nuclei
(e.g. Abell et al. 2005). The phase curve--the variation of an
asteroid's light with phase angle--carries information about nature and
texture of the surface. The two Trojan asteroids whose phase curves
have been well studied to data appear to show no strong surge in
brightness near zero phase angle, unlike most dark main belt asteroids.
We propose to determine phase curves for five additional Trojan
asteroids.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2010A-0400 |
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