Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Minor Bodies: Spectral Gradients and Relationships with Meteorites

  • Published:
Space Science Reviews Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The observational evidence of a gradient in composition of the solid matter in the Solar System as a function of heliocentric distance, with more volatile elements increasingly abundant at larger heliocentric distances, is in general agreement with commonly accepted ideas about condensation of solid material in the early protoplanetary disk. In this respect, the gradual transition from regions mostly populated by S-type objects in the inner asteroid belt to the C-type dominated outer belt, and to the D-type dominated Trojan clouds has generally been interpreted as diagnostic of a zoning of the asteroid population in terms of mineralogic composition and thermal history. The situation, however, is not completely clear, and several contradictory facts still need an explanation. Another major problem concerns the origin of meteorites. Understanding the history of these bodies is critically important, since most of our ideas about the composition of the original protosolar nebula and protoplanetary matter come from meteoritic data. In this respect, very recent advances have been achieved in the knowledge of dynamical transport mechanisms. This can have important consequences for the characterization of plausible meteorite parent bodies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barucci, M.A., Capria, M. T., Coradini, A., and Fulchignoni, M.: 1987, 'Classification of Asteroids Using G-Mode Analysis', Icarus 72, 304–324.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, J. F.: 1986, 'Mineralogical Evolution ofMeteorite Parent Bodies', Lunar and Planet. Sci. XVII, 985–986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, J. F., Davis, D.R., Hartmann, W.K., and Gaffey, M. J.: 1989, 'Asteroids: The big Picture', in R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Asteroids II, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 921–948.

    Google Scholar 

  • Binzel, R. P., and Xu, S.: 1993, 'Chips off Asteroid 4 Vesta: Evidence for the Parent Body of Basaltic Achondrite Meteorites', Science 260, 186–191.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Binzel, R. P., Bus, S. J., Burbine, T.H., and Sunshine, J.M.: 1996, 'Spectral Properties of Near-Earth Asteroids: Evidence for Sources of Ordinary Chondrite Meteorites', Science 273, 946–948.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Caffee, M.W., Goswami, J.N., Hohenberg, C.M., Marti, K., and Reedy, R. C.: 1988, 'Irradiation Records in Meteorites', in J. F. Kerridge and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Meteorites and the Early Solar System, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 205–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cellino, A., Michel, P., Tanga, P., Zappalà, V., Paolicchi, P., and Dell'Oro, A.: 1999, 'The Velocity – Size Relationship for Members of Asteroid Families and Implications for the Physics of Catastrophic Collisions', Icarus in press.

  • Cellino, A., Gil-Hutton R., Tedesco, E. F., Di Martino, M., and Brunini, A.: 1999, 'Polarimetric Observations of Small Asteroids: Preliminary Results', Icarus 138, 129–140.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C.R.: 1996, 'S-Type Asteroids, Ordinary Chondrites, and Space Weathering: The Evidence From Galileo's Fly-bys of Gaspra and Ida', Meteoritics and Planet. Sci. 31, 699–725.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C.R., Morrison, D., and Zellner, B.: 1975, 'Surface Properties of Asteroids Using a Synthesis of Polarimetry, Radiometry, and Spectrophotometry', Icarus 25, 104–130.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C.R., Paolicchi, P., Zappalà, V., Binzel, R. P., and Bell, J. F.: 1989, 'Asteroid Families: Physical Properties and Evolution', in R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Asteroids II, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 386–415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, D. R., Farinella, P., Paolicchi, P., Weidenschilling, S. J., and Binzel, R. P.: 1989, 'Asteroid Collisional History: Effects on Sizes and Spins', in R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Asteroids II, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 805–826.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, D. R., Farinella, P., and Marzari, F.: 1999, 'The Missing Psyche Family: Collisionally Eroded or Never Formed?', Icarus in press.

  • Doressoundiram, A., Barucci, M.A., and Fulchignoni, M.: 1998, 'Eos Family: A Spectroscopic Study', Icarus 131, 15–31.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Doressoundiram, A., Cellino, A., Di Martino, M., Migliorini, F., and Zappalà, V.: 1998, 'The Puzzling Case of the Nysa-Polana Family Finally Solved?', B.A.A.S. 30, 505.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farinella, P., and Vokrouhlický, D.: 1999, 'Semimajor Axis Mobility of Asteroidal Fragments', Science 283, 1507–1510.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Florczac, M., Barucci, M.A., Doressoundiram, A., Lazzaro, D., Angeli, C. A., and Dotto, E.: 1998, 'A Visible Spectroscopic Survey of the Flora Clan', Icarus 133, 233–246.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaffey, M. J., Bell, J. F., Hamilton Brown, R., Burbine, T. H., Piatek, J. L., Reed, K. L., and Chaky, D.A.: 1993, 'Mineralogical Variations Within the S-Type Asteroid Class', Icarus 106, 573–602.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gladman, B. J., Migliorini, F., Morbidelli, A., Zappalà, V., Michel, P., Cellino, A., Froeschlé, Ch., Levison, H. F., Bailey, M., and Duncan, M.: 1997, 'Dynamical Lifetimes of Objects Injected Into Asteroid Belt Resonances', Science 277, 197–201.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gradie, J.C., and Tedesco, E. F.: 1982, 'Compositional Structure of the Asteroid Belt', Science 216, 1405–1407.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gradie, J.C., Chapman, C.R., and Tedesco, E. F.: 1989, 'Distribution of Taxonomic Classes and the Compositional Structure of the Asteroid Belt', in R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Asteroids II, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 316–335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Granaham, J. C., Smith, G., and Bell, J. F.: 1993', 'New K Type Asteroids', Proc. Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. 14th, 557–558.

  • Herbert, F., and Sonett, C.P.: 1978, 'Primordial Metamorphism of Asteroids via Electric Induction in a T Tauri-Like Solar Wind', Astrophys. Space Sci. 55, 227–239.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert, F., and Sonett, C. P.: 1979, 'Electromagnetic Heating of Minor Planets in the Early Solar System', Icarus 40, 484–496.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert, F., and Sonett, C. P.: 1980, 'Elecromagnetic Inductive Heating of the Asteroids and Moon as Evidence Bearing on the Primordial Solar Wind', in R.O. Pepin, J.A. Eddy, and R.B. Merrill (eds.), The Ancient Sun: Fossil Record in the Earth, Moon, and Meteorites, Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 563–576.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirayama, K.: 1918, 'Groups of Asteroids Probably of Common Origin', Proc. Phys.-Math. Soc. Japan 9, 354–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirayama, K.: 1933, 'Present State of the Families of Asteroids', Proc. Imp. Acad. Tokyo 9, 482–485.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jewitt, D., and Luu, J.: 1998, 'Optical-Infrared Spectral Diversity in the Kuiper Belt', Astron. J. 115, 1667–1670.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lazzaro, D., Mothé-Diniz, T., Carvano, J.M., Angeli, C., Betzler, A. S., Florczac, M., Cellino, A., Di Martino, M., Doressoundiram, A., Barucci, M.A., Dotto, E., and Bendjoya, P.: 1999, 'The Eunomia Family: A Visible Spectroscopic Survey', Icarus submitted.

  • Lebofsky, L.A., and Spencer, J. R.: 1989, 'Radiometry and Thermal Modeling of Asteroids', in R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Asteroids II, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 128–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lipschutz, M. E., Gaffey, M. J., and Pellas, P.: 1989, 'Meteoritic Parent Bodies: Nature, Number, Size, and Relation to Present-Day Asteroids', in R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Asteroids II, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 740–777.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luu, J.X.: 1993, 'Spectral Diversity Among the Nuclei of Comets', Icarus 104, 138–148.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Marti, K., and Graf, T.: 1992, 'Cosmic-Ray Exposure History of Ordinary Chondrites', Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 20, 221–243.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Migliorini, F., Manara, A., Di Martino, M., and Farinella, P.: 1996, 'The Hoffmeister Family: Inferences From Physical Data', Astron. Astrophys. 310, 681–685.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Migliorini, F., Michel, P., Morbidelli, A., Nesvorný, D., and Zappalà, V.: 1998, 'Origin of Multi-Kilometer Earth-and Mars-Crossing Asteroids: A Quantitative Simulation', Science 281, 2022–2024.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Nesvorný, D., and Morbidelli, A.: 1998, 'Three-Body Mean Motion Resonances and the Chaotic Structure of the Asteroid Belt', Astron. J. 116, 3029–3037.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ostro, S. J.: 1989, 'Radar Observations of Asteroids', in R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 192–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostro, S. J., Campbell, D. J., and Shapiro, I. I.: 1985, 'Main Belt Asteroids: Dual-Polarization Radar Observations', Science 252, 1399–1404.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruzmaikina, T.V., Safronov, V. S., and Weidenschilling, S. J.: 1989, 'Radial Mixing of Material in the Asteroidal Zone', in R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Asteroids II Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 681–700.

    Google Scholar 

  • Safronov, V. S.: 1979, 'On the Origin of Asteroids', in T. Gehrels (ed.), Asteroids, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 975–993.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tedesco, E. F., (ed.): 1992, The IRAS Minor Planet Survey Phillips Laboratory Technical Report No. PL-TR-92-2049, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Tedesco, E. F., Williams, J.G., Matson, D. L., Veeder, G. J., Gradie, J. C., and Lebofsky, L. A.: 1989, 'A Tree-Parameter Asteroid Taxonomy', Astron. J. 97, 580–606.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Tegler, S.C., and Romanishin, W.: 1998, 'Two Distinct Populations of Kuiper-Belt Objects', Nature 392, 49–51.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Tholen, D. J.: 1984, 'Asteroid Taxonomy From Cluster Analysis of Photometry', Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetherill, G.W.: 1989, 'Origin of the Asteroid Belt', in R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. S. Matthews (eds.), Asteroids II, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 661–680.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetherill, G.W.: 1992, 'An Alternative Model for the Formation of the Asteroids', Icarus 100, 307–325.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Wisdom, J.: 1983, 'Chaotic Behaviour and the Origin of the 3/1 Kirkwood Gap', Icarus 56, 51–74.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, S., Binzel, R. P., Burbine, T.H., and Bus, S. J.: 1995, 'Small Main-Belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey: Initial Results', Icarus 115, 1–35.

    Article  MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Zappalà, V., Bendjoya, P., Cellino, A., Farinella, P., and Froeschlé, C.: 1995, 'Asteroid Families: Search of a 12,487 Asteroid Sample Using two Different Clustering Techniques', Icarus 116, 291–314.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Zappalà, V., Cellino, A., Di Martino, M., Migliorini, F., and Paolicchi, P.: 1997, 'Maria's Family: Physical Structure and Implications for the Origin of Giant NEAs', Icarus 129, 1–20.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Zappalà, V., Cellino, A., Gladman, B. J., Manley, S., and Migliorini, F.: 1998, 'Asteroid Showers on Earth After Family Breakup Events', Icarus 134, 176–179.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Zappalà, V., Bendjoya, P., Cellino, A., Di Martino, M., Doressoundiram, A., Manara, A., and Migliorini, F.: 1999, 'Fugitives From Eos Family: First Spectroscopic Confirmation', Icarus submitted.

  • Zellner, B., Tholen, D. J., and Tedesco, E. F.: 1985, 'The Eight-Color Asteroid Survey: Results for 589 Minor Planets', Icarus 61, 355–416.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino, I-10025, Pino Torinese (TO), Italy

    Alberto Cellino

Authors
  1. Alberto Cellino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cellino, A. Minor Bodies: Spectral Gradients and Relationships with Meteorites. Space Science Reviews 92, 397–412 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005292524386

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005292524386

Keywords

Search

Navigation