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General
This project studies the physical and compositional properties of the so-called minor bodies of the Solar System, that includes asteroids, icy objects, and comets. Of special interest are the trans-neptunian objects (TNOs), including those considered the most distant objects detected so far (Extreme-TNOs or ETNOs); the comets and the comet-asteroid transitional objects (Centaurs and main belt comets or MBCs); the primitive asteroids. The last two groups contain the most primordial and pristine material of the Solar System and so they provide the clues to understand the origin and the subsequent evolution of our system. Among asteroid population, the near-Earth asteroids or NEAs, as well as the potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) are of particular interest: due to their proximity to the Earth, they are the most accesible to spacecraft and so are ideal for in-situ or even sample-return space missions. In addition they are considered as future potential resources of materials (asteroid mining), and they are also impact hazards for the Earth. Regarding primitive asteroids, it is remarkable the spectroscopic survey (visible and near-infrared) led by the PI of this project (PRIMitive Asteroids Spectroscopic Survey - PRIMASS). This survey received financial support from NASA (17-PDART17_2-0097, PI: N. Pinilla-Alonso, 137.000€ - 2 years) in order to upload and archive at the Small Bodies Node of the NASA Planetary Data System the more than 800 spectra obtained.
The compositional surface properties, as well as the physical and thermal properties of these objects are inferred through imaging, photometry, and spectroscopy in a wide range of wavelengths (from 0.35 up to 24 microns). Data are interpreted using scattering and thermo-physical models. This project works also in the study of the physical properties of the cometary nuclei, as well as properties of dust and coma in the tails of the MBCs and the mechanisms that generate them.
This group maintains several international collaborations with other groups, and some of their members are also members of (1) the Science Team of the NASA OSIRIS-REx mission, in particular the Image Processing Working Group, were they work with the images obtained with the OCAMS suite of cameras; (2) the coordination of an international group to study NEAs (EURONEAR); (3) the central core of the proponents of ESA M5 missions CASTALIA, CASTAway, and Hera; (4) the Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science - CLASS (NASA); (5) the Solar System group of the Euclid consortium; (6) the surveys J-PLUS and J-PASS for the exploitation of observations of Solar System objects; (7) the Solar System working group of Gaia and JWST.
Members
Scientific activity
Related publications
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Structures in the dust coma of comet C/1999 T1 (McNaught-Hartley) from Jan. 26 to Feb. 05, 2001Aims: An in depth analysis of the images acquired in broad-band optical and infrared observations in the R, I, and J, H, Ks bands of comet C/199T1 (McNaught-Hartley) acquired from Jan. 26 to Feb. 05, 2001 has been performed and is presented here. Methods: Beside the Laplace filtering technique applied to enhance structures in the dust coma of theLara, L. M. et al.
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42009 -
Stardust-NExT, Deep Impact, and the accelerating spin of 9P/Tempel 1The evolution of the spin rate of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 through two perihelion passages (in 2000 and 2005) is determined from 1922 Earth-based observations taken over a period of 13 year as part of a World-Wide observing campaign and from 2888 observations taken over a period of 50 days from the Deep Impact spacecraft. We determine the followingBelton, Michael J. S. et al.
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52011 -
Spitzer observations of the asteroid-comet transition object and potential spacecraft target 107P (4015) Wilson-HarringtonContext: Near-Earth asteroid-comet transition object 107P/ (4015) Wilson-Harrington is a possible target of the joint European Space Agency (ESA) and Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Marco Polo sample return mission. Physical studies of this object are relevant to this mission, and also to understanding its asteroidal or cometary natureLicandro, J. et al.
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122009 -
Spitzer observations of spacecraft target 162173 (1999 JU3)Context: Near-Earth asteroid 162173 (1999 JU3) is the primary target of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Hayabusa-2 sample return mission, and is also on the list of potential targets for the European Space Agency (ESA) Marco Polo sample return mission. Earth-based studies of this object are fundamental to these missions. Aims: OurCampins, H. et al.
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82009 -
Spectroscopy of B-type asteroids: Subgroups and meteorite analogsB-type asteroids have a negative slope from ˜0.5 to ˜1.1 μm and beyond. What causes this? Visible to near-infrared reflectance spectra (0.4-2.5 μm) are assembled for 22 B-type asteroids. The spectra fall naturally into three groups: (1) those with negative (blue) spectral shapes like 2 Pallas (7 objects), (2) those with concave curve shapes like 24Clark, Beth Ellen et al.
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62010 -
Spectral properties of asteroids in cometary orbitsAims: In this paper we analyze the spectra of a sample of asteroids in cometary orbits (ACOs) in order to understand the relationship between them, the Jupiter family comets (JFCs), and the outer main belt populations, such as Hilda, Trojan and Cybele asteroids. Methods: We obtained visible (0.55-0.90 μm) and/or near-infrared (0.8-2.3 μm) spectraLicandro, J. et al.
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42008 -
Rotational fission of trans-Neptunian objects: the case of HaumeaWe present several lines of evidence, based on different kinds of observations, and we conclude that it is likely that rotational fission has occurred for a fraction of the known trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). It is also likely that a number of binary systems have formed from that process in the trans-Neptunian belt. We show that Haumea isOrtiz, J. L. et al.
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12012 -
Physical properties and orbital stability of the Trojan asteroidsAll the Trojan asteroids orbit about the Sun at roughly the same heliocentric distance as Jupiter. Differences in the observed visible reflection spectra range from neutral to red, with no ultra-red objects found so far. Given that the Trojan asteroids are collisionally evolved, a certain degree of variability is expected. Additionally, cosmicMelita, M. D. et al.
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62008 -
Origin of the near-Earth asteroid Phaethon and the Geminids meteor showerAims: In this paper we establish a compositional and dynamical connection between two B-type objects: main belt asteroid (2) Pallas and near-Earth asteroid (3200) Phaethon. The final purpose is to help understand the origin of this very interesting object. Methods: We first compare visible and near-infrared spectra of asteroids Phaethon and Pallasde León, J. et al.
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42010 -
Observations, compositional, and physical characterization of near-Earth and Mars-crosser asteroids from a spectroscopic surveyAims: We analyse a significantly large sample of spectroscopic data to provide a compositional characterization of the near-Earth asteroid population. We present visible and near-infrared spectra of a total of 74 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and Mars-crossers (MCs), covering the wavelength region from 0.5 to 2.5 μm. Using spectra of NEAs from otherde León, J. et al.
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72010 -
New observations of asteroid (175706) 1996 FG3, primary target of the ESA Marco Polo-R missionContext. Near-Earth asteroid (175706) 1996 FG3 is the primary target of the ESA Marco Polo-R mission, which was selected for the assessment study phase of ESA M3 missions. This is a primitive (C-type), binary asteroid that will allow new research to be performed. The primary is a rapidly rotating (3.6 h) small asteroid (1.4 km diameter) that isde León, J. et al.
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62011 -
Near-infrared spectroscopy of primitive asteroid familiesWe compare 13 near-infrared (0.8-2.4 μm) spectra of two low albedo C complex outer-belt asteroid families: Themis and Veritas. The disruption ages of these two families lie at opposite extremes: 2.5 ± 1.0 Gyr and 8.7 ± 1.7 Myr, respectively. We found striking differences between the two families, which show a range of spectral shapes and slopesZiffer, Julie et al.
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62011 -
Near-infrared spectroscopic survey of B-type asteroids: Compositional analysisWe present near-infrared spectra of 23 B-type asteroids obtained with the NICS camera-spectrograph at the 3.56 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo. We also compile additional visible and near-infrared spectra of another 22 B-type asteroids from the literature. A total of 45 B-types are analyzed. No significant trends in orbital properties of our samplede León, J. et al.
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32012 -
MarcoPolo-R near earth asteroid sample return missionMarcoPolo-R is a sample return mission to a primitive Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) proposed in collaboration with NASA. It will rendezvous with a primitive NEA, scientifically characterize it at multiple scales, and return a unique sample to Earth unaltered by the atmospheric entry process or terrestrial weathering. MarcoPolo-R will return bulkBarucci, Maria Antonietta et al.
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42012 -
Low Perihelion Near-Earth AsteroidsWe present initial results from a study of a sample of low-perihelion near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) using the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) on NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. The 7-14 μm thermal emission spectra have been fitted with models of the thermal continuum to derive the asteroid’s effective diameter, geometric albedo and beaming parameter ηCampins, Humberto et al.
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92009 -
Links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the CentaursContext. The Centaurs are a transitional population of minor bodies of the solar system and the evolutionary link between the trans-Neptunian objects and the short period comets. The surface properties of these objects are very peculiar, because currently available data suggest that their visual surface colors divide the population into twoMelita, M. D. et al.
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32012 -
Lightcurves of 6 Jupiter Trojan asteroidsFrom the point of view of the intrinsic rotation, the Jupiter Trojans are not as well characterized as the main belt asteroids, primarily because the available sample of lightcurves is small and mainly restricted to the largest objects. We have obtained rotational periods and lightcurve amplitudes for 6 Trojan asteroids, which range between valuesMelita, M. D. et al.
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62010 -
Evolution of the dust coma in comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko before the 2009 perihelionContext. Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko is the main target of ESA's Rosetta mission and will be encountered in May 2014. Because the spacecraft will orbit the comet nucleus before and after release of the lander Philae, it is necessary to know the conditions in the coma. Aims: We study the dust environment, including the dust production rate andTozzi, G. P. et al.
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72011 -
EURONEAR—Recovery, follow-up and discovery of NEAs and MBAs using large field 1-2 m telescopesWe report on the follow-up and recovery of 100 program NEAs, PHAs and VIs using the ESO/MPG 2.2 m, Swope 1 m and INT 2.5 m telescopes equipped with large field cameras. The 127 fields observed during 11 nights covered 29 square degrees. Using these data, we present the incidental survey work which includes 558 known MBAs and 628 unknown movingVaduvescu, O. et al.
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102011 -
EPOXI: Comet 103P/Hartley 2 Observations from a Worldwide CampaignEarth- and space-based observations provide synergistic information for space mission encounters by providing data over longer timescales, at different wavelengths and using techniques that are impossible with an in situ flyby. We report here such observations in support of the EPOXI spacecraft flyby of comet 103P/Hartley 2. The nucleus is smallMeech, K. J. et al.
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62011
