Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sources of interplanetary dust: Asteroids

  • 2 In Measurement of Interplanetary Dust
  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Interplanetary Dust and Zodiacal Light

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 48))

Abstract

The asteroid belt is examined as a potential source of interplanetary dust. Using results from the Pioneer-10 experiments the relative contribution of asteroidal and cometary particles to the Zodiacal cloud is estimated using methods developed in earlier studies of meteoroidal collisions (collisional model). It is found that the contribution of asteroidal particles to dust in the asteroidal belt is small compared with the number density of cometary type particles. Similar conclusions apply to the Zodiacal cloud between the sun and the asteroid belt. When definitive criteria for differentiating between comets and asteroids become available, a reexamination of some of our conclusions may become necessary.

The distribution of asteroidal rotations is analyzed; it is found that the gross features of the distribution can be reproduced using the collisional model.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Anders, E., Fragmentation history of asteroids, Icarus 4, 398–408 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • Anders, E., Interrelations of meteorites, asteroids and comets. “Physical Studies of Minor Planets” (T. Gehrels, ed.), NASA SP-267, 429-446 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  • Auer, S., The asteroid belt: doubts about the particle concentration measured with the asteroid/meteoroid detector on Pioneer 10, Science, 186, 650–652 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandermann, L.W., Remarks on the size distribution of colliding and fragmenting particles, Monthly Not. R. astr. Soc. 160, 321 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C.R., The nature of asteroids, Sci. Am. 232, 24–33 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C.R., and D.R. Davis, Asteroid collisional evolution: evidence for a much larger early population, Science 190, 553–556 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cour-Palais, B.G., Meteoroid environment model-1969 [Near earth to lunar surface], NASA SP-8013, March, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohnanyi, J.S., Collisional model of asteroids and their debris. J. Geophys. Res. 74, 2531–2554 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohnanyi, J.S., On the origin and distribution of meteoroids. J. Geophys. Res. 75, 3468–3493 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohnanyi, J.S., Fragmentation and distribution of asteroids, “Physical Studies of Minor Planets” (T. Gehrels, ed.) NASA SP-267, 263–295 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohnanyi, J.S., Interplanetary objects in review: statistics of their masses and dynamics, Icarus 17, 1–48 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohnanyi, J.S., Current evolution of meteoroids, “Evolutionary and Physical Properties of Meteoroids” (C.L. Hemenway, P. Millman and A.F. Cook, ed.) NASA SP-319, 363-374 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dohnanyi, J.S., Flux of hyperbolic meteoroids, 1976, this volume.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fechtig, H., In-situ records of interplanetary dust particles-methods and results, 1976, this volume.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gehrels, T., Photometry of asteroids, “Surfaces and Interiors of Planets and Satellites” (A. Dollfus, ed.) 317–375, Academic Press, London, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanner, M.S., J.L. Weinberg, L.M. DeShields II, B.A. Green, and G.N. Toller, Zodiacal light and the asteroid belt: the view from Pioneer 10, J. Geophys. Res. 79, 3671–3675 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanner, M.S., J.G. Sparrow, J.L. Weinberg, and D.E. Beeson, Pioneer 10 observations of Zodiacal light brightness near the ecliptic: changes with heliocentric distances, 1976, this volume.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann, W.K., and A.C. Hartmann, Asteroid collisions and evaluation of asteroidal mass distribution and meteoritic flux. Icarus 8, 361–381 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Humes, D.H., J.M. Alvarez, R.L. O'Neal, and W.H. Kinard, The interplanetary and near-Jupiter meteoroid environments, J. Geophys. Res. 79, 3677–3684 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  • Humes, D.H., J.M. Alvarez, W.H. Kinard, and R.L. O'Neal, Pioneer 11 meteoroid detection experiment: preliminary results, to be published in Science, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Icke, V., Distribution of the angular velocities of the asteroids, Astron. and Astrophys. 28, 441–445 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, D.J., Upper limit on the spatial density of asteroidal debris. J. Amer. Inst. Aeron. Astron. 6, 2450 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, D.J., Meteoroid Environment Model-1970 (Interplanetary and Planetary). NASA SP-8038, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, D.J., Estimate of particle densities and collision danger for spacecraft moving through the asteroid belt, “Physical Studies of Minor Planets” (T. Gehrels; ed.), NASA SP-267, 595–605 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinard, W.H., R.L. O'Neill, J.M. Alvarez, and D.H. Humes, Interplanetary and near-Jupiter meteoroid environments: preliminary results from the meteoroid detection experiment, Science 183, 321–322 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuiper, G.P., Y. Fujita, T. Gehrels, I. Groeneweld, J. Kent, G. Van Viesbroeck, and C.J. Van Houten, Survey of asteroids. Astrophys. J. Suppl. Sera 3, 289–438 (1958).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovell, A.C.B., “Meteor Astronomy”, Clarendon Press, Oxford, London, 1954.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsden, B.G., Evolution of comets into asteroids? “Physical Studies of Minor Planets” (T. Gehrels, ed.), NASA SP-267, 413–421 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  • McAdoo, D.C., and J.A. Burns, Further evidence for collisions among asteroids, Icarus 18, 285–293 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  • McCrosky, R.E., and Z. Ceplecha, Fireballs and the physical theory of meteors. Bull. Astron. Inst. Czechoslov. 21, 271–296 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • McCrosky, R.E., and A. Posen, Orbital elements of photographic meteors. Smithson. Contrib. Astrophys. 4, 15–84 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Napier, W.McD., and R.J. Dodd, On the origin of the asteroids, Mon.Not. Roy. Astr. Soc. 166, 469–489 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Öpik, E.J., The stray bodies in the solar system Part I. Survival of cometary nuclei and the asteroids. Advanc. Astron. Astrophys. 2, 219–262 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • Öpik, E.J., The stray bodies in the solar system Part II. The cometary origin of meteorites. Advanc. Astron. Astrophys. 4, 301–336 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • Paddack, J.S., Rotational bursting of small celestial bodies: Effects of radiation pressure. J. Geophys. Res. 74, 4379–4381 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, H.P., Dynamical effects of radiation on the solar system. Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 97, 423–438 (1937).

    Google Scholar 

  • Roosen, R.B., The Gegenschein. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 9 (2), 275–304 (1971a).

    Google Scholar 

  • Roosen, R.G., Spatial distribution of interplanetary dust. In “Physical Studies of Minor Planets” (T. Gehrels, ed.), NASA SP-267, 363–375 (1971b).

    Google Scholar 

  • Roosen, R.B., 1975, private communication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shoemaker, E.M., E.F. Helin, and S.L. Gillett, Populations of the planet-crossing asteroids, International Colloquium of Planetary Geology,'Expanded Abstracts, ed. by the Italian Consortium for Planetary Studies, Rome, 22–30, Sept. 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soberman, R.K., S.L. Neste, and K. Lichtenfeld, Particle concentration in the asteroid belt from Pioneer 10, Science 183, 320–321 (1974a).

    Google Scholar 

  • Soberman, R.K., S.L. Neste, and K. Lichtenfeld, Optical measurement of interplanetary particulates from Pioneer 10, J. Geophys. Res. 79, 3685–3694 (1974b).

    Google Scholar 

  • Southworth, R.B., and Z. Sekanina, Physical and dynamical studies of meteors, NASA CR-2316, October 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Houten, D.J., I. Van Houten-Groenveld, P. Herget, and T. Gehreis, The Palomar-Leiden survey of faint minor planets. Astro. Astrophys. Suppl. 2, 339–448 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetherill, G.W., Collisions in the asteroid belt. J. Geophys. Res. 72, 2429–2444 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetherill, G.W., Solar system sources of meteorites and large meteoroids, Annual Rev. of Earth and Planet. Sci. 2, 303–331 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetherill, G.W., Pre-mare cratering and early solar system history, Proc. Sixth Lunar Science Conference, Geochemica at Cosmochemica Acta, Suppl. (1975) in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whipple, F.L., A comet model, II, Physical relations for comets and meteors. Astrophys. J. 113, 464 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  • Whipple, F.L., A comet model, III, The zodiacal light. Astrophys. J. 121, 750–770 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  • Whipple, F.L., On Maintaining the Meteoritic Complex. Smithson. Astrophys. Obs. Spec. Rept. No. 239, pp. 1–46 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Whipple, F.L., A speculation about comets and the earth, Colloquium in Honor to Prof. P. Swings, Liége, March (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyatt, S.P., and Whipple, F.L., The Poynting Robertson effect on meteor orbits. Astrophys. J. 111, 134–141 (1950).

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman, P.D., and G.W. Wetherill, Asteroidal source of meteorites, Science 182, 51–53 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  • Zook, H.A., and O.E. Berg, A source for hyperbolic cosmic dust particles, Planet. Space Sci. 23, 183–203 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany

    J. S. Dohnanyi

  2. Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, N.J., USA

    J. S. Dohnanyi

Authors
  1. J. S. Dohnanyi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

H. Elsässer H. Fechting

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1976 Springer-Verlag

About this paper

Cite this paper

Dohnanyi, J.S. (1976). Sources of interplanetary dust: Asteroids. In: Elsässer, H., Fechting, H. (eds) Interplanetary Dust and Zodiacal Light. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 48. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-07615-8_482

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-07615-8_482

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-07615-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-38133-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation