Development and Maintenance of Asteroid Lightcurve Databases

我们的太阳系有大量的小行星，它们的两个更基本的特性是它们的自转周期和大小。通过分析这两种特征之间的相互关系，科学家们可以了解小行星作为一个群体的演变，并将它们用作太阳系形成理论的试验台。为了确定小行星的旋转周期和大小，科学家们测量了小行星随时间的光变化，即光曲线观测。这一建议支持继续维护这些光曲线观测的数据库。科学家可以免费使用该数据库来解决有关小行星特征的问题，并确定这对太阳系的形成和演化意味着什么。更广泛的影响活动积极吸引后院天文学家和学校/大学生，让他们在学习科学调查和分析的基础知识并建立他们的数学和物理技能的同时，为科学做出直接贡献。这在一定程度上是通过PI维护观测规划工具和网站以及编辑/审查小行星公报的论文来完成的，这些论文是这些社区的资源。光曲线观测对于中等口径（d0.5 m）望远镜和高端商用CCD相机来说是一个重要而富有成效的研究项目。从这些观测中，可以确定小行星的旋转速度，并且通过几年的数据，可以模拟小行星的形状和自转轴方向。这一提议将允许继续维护小行星光曲线数据库（LCDB）。对于那些参与小行星研究的人来说，ldb已经成为一种广泛使用和高度依赖的工具。来自ldb的数据将用于广泛的研究项目，如确定特定大小、轨道群或分类类别的物体之间的旋转速率；由于非引力，例如热力，小行星速率的演化；以及不同群体中双星小行星的数量。此外，PI将使用小行星光曲线数据交换格式（ALCDEF）提供原始时间序列光度测量的中央数据库，并由小行星中心托管一个网站，作为小行星物理参数更大数据库的一部分。ALCDEF数据库将允许研究人员开发形状和自旋轴模型。这些结果可以导致关于自旋轴极点分布的详细研究，可以应用于更广泛的天体群，并从那里得到关于太阳系演化的理论。

Our Solar System has an extensive population of asteroids, and two of their more fundamental properties are their rotation periods and sizes. From analysis of just these two traits in relation to one another scientists can learn about the evolution of the asteroids as a group, as well as use them as test beds for theories of the formation of the Solar System. In order to determine the rotation periods and sizes of asteroids, scientists measure the changes in light from an asteroid over time, known as making lightcurve observations. This proposal supports the continued maintenance of a database of these lightcurve observations. The database is freely available to scientists to use to address questions about the characteristics of the asteroids and determine what that implies about the formation and evolution of the Solar System. Broader impact activities actively engage backyard astronomers and school/college students, allowing them to make a direct contribution to science while learning the basics of scientific investigation and analysis and building their skills in math and physics. This is accomplished in part by the PI's maintaining observation planning tools and web sites and editing/reviewing papers for the Minor Planet Bulletin that are resources for those communities. Lightcurve observations are important and productive research projects for those with modest aperture (D 0.5-m) telescopes and high-end commercial CCD cameras. From these observations, it is possible to determine the rotation rate of an asteroid, and with several years of data, it can be possible to model an asteroid's shape and spin axis orientation. This proposal will allow the continuing maintenance of the asteroid lightcurve database (LCDB). The LCDB has become a widely-used and heavily relied-upon tool for those involved in asteroid research. The data from the LCDB will be used for a wide range of research programs such as determining rotation rates among objects of specific size, orbital group, or taxonomic class; the evolution of asteroid rates due to non-gravitational, e.g., thermal, forces; and the population of binary asteroids among different groups. In addition, the PI will provide a central database of raw time-series photometry using the Asteroid Lightcurve Data Exchange Format (ALCDEF) and a web site to be hosted by the Minor Planet Center as part of a larger database of asteroid physical parameters. The ALCDEF database will allow researchers to develop shape and spin axis models. These results can lead to detailed studies regarding the distribution of spin axis poles that can be applied to broader groups of objects and, from there, to theories regarding the evolution of the Solar System.