Observations of Near-Earth Asteroids

这个项目将继续一个正在进行的近地小行星（NEAs）天文测量（位置）观测项目。为了确定轨道和在未来的观测机会中恢复物体，对新观测的天体测量跟踪是必不可少的；2008年和2009年新发现的近地天体中，有60%以上由于缺乏足够的跟踪而丢失。该项目的首席研究员和学生将使用夏威夷大学的2.24米望远镜和莫纳克亚山上的其他望远镜进行天文测量。使用的望远镜和专业技术使这个小组能够以更高的定位精度观察到更微弱的物体，并且比其他小组更容易进入南天球。他们将改编最新和最准确的天体测量参考目录，PPMXL目录，用于NEA天体测量，并向社区提供该定制目录。他们将对数据处理管道进行改进，以加快处理速度，并对每个对象进行更多的位置测量。最后，该小组将计划并进行物理特征的测量，包括形状、反照率和颜色，这些选择的物体可能是人类探索的候选者。精确的NEA天体测量对于跟踪可能与地球相撞的潜在危险小行星至关重要；因此，该项目具有广泛的影响。这对地球科学问题有影响，例如地球是如何获得水的，以及减轻撞击危险的战略。该项目将在观测技术和太阳系动力学方面教育研究生；反过来，这些学生将有机会指导高中生使用哈利阿卡拉的Falukes教育望远镜进行小行星研究。

This project will continue an ongoing program of astrometric (positional) observations of Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). Astrometric follow-up of new observations is essential in order to determine orbits and recover the objects at future observing opportunities; over 60% of NEAs newly discovered in 2008 and 2009 were subsequently lost due to the lack of adequate follow-up. The Principal Investigator and students supported by this project will perform astrometric measurements using the University of Hawaii 2.24-meter telescope and other telescopes on Mauna Kea. The telescopes and specialized techniques used enable this team to observe fainter objects, with greater positional accuracy, and with better access to the south celestial hemisphere than other groups. They will adapt the newest and most accurate astrometric reference catalog, the PPMXL catalog, for use in NEA astrometry and provide this customized catalog to the community. Improvements will be made to their data processing pipeline to speed the process and enable more positional measurements per object. Finally, the group will plan and carry out measurements of physical characteristics, including shapes, albedos and colors, of selected objects that are possible candidates for human exploration. Accurate NEA astrometry is most critical for the tracking of potentially hazardous asteroids that could collide with Earth; the project thus has broad impacts on impacts. This has implications for Earth-science questions, such as how Earth acquired its water, as well on strategies for mitigating the impact hazard. The project will educate graduate students in observational techniques and in Solar System dynamics; these students, in turn, will have the opportunity to mentor high school students in using the Falukes educational telescope on Haleakala for asteroid research.