Charged Coupled Device (CCD) Photometry of Small Main Belt Asteroids

这笔赠款支持的研究将利用技术和轨道研究方面的最新进展，对主带内的小行星进行首次系统的物理研究。这项研究对于调查近地小行星种群的来源区域和小行星带内的碰撞演化过程至关重要。麦格劳-希尔天文台和洛厄尔天文台的望远镜观测将揭示大约30颗主带小行星的自转速度、形状、基本成分和表面性质。了解这些天体的自转速度和形状将为小行星碰撞演化模型提供强有力的约束。

The research supported by this grant will utilize recent advances in technology and orbital studies to perform the first systematic physical study of small asteroids in the main belt. Such a study is critically needed to investigate the source region for the population of near-Earth asteroids and the collisional evolution processes within the asteroid belt. The observations, using telescopes at the McGraw-Hill Observatory and the Lowell Observatory, will reveal the rotation rates, shapes, basic compositions, and surface properties of approximately 30 small main belt asteroids. Knowledge of the rotation rates and shapes of these objects will provide strong constraints for asteroid collisional evolution models.