Asteroid population models

Asteroid Models from the Pan-STARRS Photometry

We present simulations on the asteroid photometric data that will be provided by the PanSTARRS (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System). The simulations were performed using realistic shape and light-scattering models, random orientation of spin axes, and rotation periods in the range 2–24 h. We show that physical models of asteroids can be reconstructed from this data with some l...

A population of comets in the main asteroid belt.

Comets are icy bodies that sublimate and become active when close to the Sun. They are believed to originate in two cold reservoirs beyond the orbit of Neptune: the Kuiper Belt (equilibrium temperatures of approximately 40 kelvin) and the Oort Cloud (approximately 10 kelvin). We present optical data showing the existence of a population of comets originating in a third reservoir: the main aster...

Asteroid Differentiation

1585. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston (CD-

Population Models

Determination of asteroid masses

The masses of the three largest asteroids: (1) Ceres, (2) Pallas and (4) Vesta were determined from gravitational perturbations exerted on respectively 25, 2, and 26 selected asteroids. These masses were calculated by means of the leastsquares method as weighted means of the values obtained separately from the perturbations on single asteroids. Special attention was paid to the selection of the...