NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2013B-0535
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2013B-0535 |
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PI: William J. Merline, Southwest Research Institute, merline@boulder.swri.edu
Address: Space Science and Instrumentation Division, 1050 Walnut St., Ste. 300, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
CoI: Peter M. Tamblyn, Southwest Research Institute
CoI: Benoit Carry, Institut de Mecanique Celeste, Paris
CoI: Jack Drummond, AFRL, Starfire Optical Range
CoI: Al Conrad, Max Planck Institute, Germany
CoI: Steve B. Howell, NASA Ames Research Center
CoI: Julian Christou, Large Binocular Telescope Observatory
CoI: Clark R. Chapman, Southwest Research Institute
CoI: Christophe Dumas, European Southern Observatory, Chile
Title: High-Resolution Imaging of Asteroids/Satellites
Abstract:
We propose to make high-resolution observations of asteroids using
two separate observational paths. We request LGS AO on Keck, as part of
our ongoing program to measure size, 3D shape, and pole position, and to
search for satellites. Second, we wish to make use of the new
capability for speckle imaging on Gemini-N. We have demonstrated that
AO imaging allows determination of the pole/dimensions in 1 or 2 nights,
rather than the years of observations with lightcurve inversion
techniques that only yield poles and axial ratios, not true dimensions.
Detection of new satellites allows an accurate mass determination.
Accurately determining the volume from the often-irregular shape allows
us to derive densities to greater precision in cases where the mass is
known. Satellites also provide a real-life lab for testing collisional
models. We have demonstrated the tremendous fidelity of our shape/sizes
of asteroids, and have pioneered asteroid satellite detection. The new
DSSI instrument provides a potentially game-changing opportunity by
pushing diffraction-limited imaging into the visible region, where the
resolution will be roughly twice what we can get at Keck in the NIR. We
will apply both techniques to determination of sizes of asteroids and
search for binaries, particularly among understudied populations such as
the NEOs and Trojans.
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 > 2013B-0535 |
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