Development and Maintenance of Asteroid Lightcurve Databases

我们的太阳系拥有大量的小行星，它们的两个更基本的特性是它们的旋转周期和大小。通过分析这两个特征的相互关系，科学家可以了解小行星作为一个群体的演变，并将它们作为太阳系形成理论的试验台。 为了确定小行星的自转周期和大小，科学家们测量小行星随时间的变化，称为光曲线观测。 该提案支持继续维护这些光变曲线观测数据库。 该数据库可供科学家免费使用，以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，使他们能够直接为科学做出贡献，同时学习科学调查和分析的基础知识，并培养他们的数学和物理技能。 这部分是通过PI维护观测规划工具和网站以及编辑/审查作为这些社区资源的《小行星公报》的论文来实现的。光变曲线观测对于那些拥有中等孔径（D 0.5-m）望远镜和高端商业CCD相机的人来说是重要和富有成效的研究项目。从这些观测中，有可能确定小行星的旋转速率，并通过几年的数据，有可能模拟小行星的形状和旋转轴方向。这一建议将使小行星光变曲线数据库得以继续维持。 LCDB已成为参与小行星研究的人广泛使用和高度依赖的工具。来自LCDB的数据将用于广泛的研究计划，例如确定特定大小，轨道群或分类类的物体之间的旋转速率;由于非引力作用导致的小行星速率的演变，例如，热，力;和人口的二元小行星之间的不同群体。 此外，主要研究者将提供一个使用小行星光变曲线数据交换格式的原始时间序列光度测定中央数据库和一个由小行星中心主办的网站，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。这些结果可以导致对自旋轴极分布的详细研究，这些研究可以应用于更广泛的物体群，并从那里开始，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.