Abstract
We present the first observational measurement of the orbit and size distribution of small Solar System objects whose orbits are wholly interior to the Earth's (Inner Earth Objects, IEOs, with aphelion <0.983 AU). We show that we are able to model the detections of near-Earth objects (NEO) by the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) using a detailed parameterization of the CSS survey cadence and detection efficiencies as implemented within the Jedicke et al. [Jedicke, R., Morbidelli, A., Spahr, T., Petit, J.M., Bottke, W.F., 2003. Icarus 161, 17-33] survey simulator and utilizing the Bottke et al. [Bottke, W.F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H.F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T.S., 2002. Icarus 156, 399-433] model of the NEO population's size and orbit distribution. We then show that the CSS detections of 4 IEOs are consistent with the Bottke et al. [Bottke, W.F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H.F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T.S., 2002. Icarus 156, 399-433] IEO model. Observational selection effects for the IEOs discovered by the CSS were then determined using the survey simulator in order to calculate the corrected number and H distribution of the IEOs. The actual number of IEOs with H < 18 (21) is 36 ± 26 (530 ± 240) and the slope of the H magnitude distribution (∝ 10α H) for the IEOs is αIEO = 0.44-0.22+0.23. The slope is consistent with previous measurements for the NEO population of αNEO = 0.35 ± 0.02 [Bottke, W.F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H.F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T.S., 2002. Icarus 156, 399-433] and αNEO = 0.39 ± 0.013 [Stuart, J.S., Binzel, R.P., 2004. Icarus 170, 295-311]. Based on the agreement between the predicted and observed IEO orbit and absolute magnitude distributions there is no indication of any non-gravitational effects (e.g. Yarkovsky, tidal disruption) affecting the known IEO population.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 284-293 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Icarus |
| Volume | 198 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2008 |
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Keywords
- Asteroids
- dynamics
- Near-Earth objects
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Space and Planetary Science
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
Cite this
The orbit and size distribution of small Solar System objects orbiting the Sun interior to the Earth's orbit. / Zavodny, Maximilian; Jedicke, Robert; Beshore, Edward C; Bernardi, Fabrizio; Larson, Stephen.
In: Icarus, Vol. 198, No. 2, 12.2008, p. 284-293.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The orbit and size distribution of small Solar System objects orbiting the Sun interior to the Earth's orbit
AU - Zavodny, Maximilian
AU - Jedicke, Robert
AU - Beshore, Edward C
AU - Bernardi, Fabrizio
AU - Larson, Stephen
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - We present the first observational measurement of the orbit and size distribution of small Solar System objects whose orbits are wholly interior to the Earth's (Inner Earth Objects, IEOs, with aphelion <0.983 AU). We show that we are able to model the detections of near-Earth objects (NEO) by the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) using a detailed parameterization of the CSS survey cadence and detection efficiencies as implemented within the Jedicke et al. [Jedicke, R., Morbidelli, A., Spahr, T., Petit, J.M., Bottke, W.F., 2003. Icarus 161, 17-33] survey simulator and utilizing the Bottke et al. [Bottke, W.F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H.F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T.S., 2002. Icarus 156, 399-433] model of the NEO population's size and orbit distribution. We then show that the CSS detections of 4 IEOs are consistent with the Bottke et al. [Bottke, W.F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H.F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T.S., 2002. Icarus 156, 399-433] IEO model. Observational selection effects for the IEOs discovered by the CSS were then determined using the survey simulator in order to calculate the corrected number and H distribution of the IEOs. The actual number of IEOs with H < 18 (21) is 36 ± 26 (530 ± 240) and the slope of the H magnitude distribution (∝ 10α H) for the IEOs is αIEO = 0.44-0.22+0.23. The slope is consistent with previous measurements for the NEO population of αNEO = 0.35 ± 0.02 [Bottke, W.F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H.F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T.S., 2002. Icarus 156, 399-433] and αNEO = 0.39 ± 0.013 [Stuart, J.S., Binzel, R.P., 2004. Icarus 170, 295-311]. Based on the agreement between the predicted and observed IEO orbit and absolute magnitude distributions there is no indication of any non-gravitational effects (e.g. Yarkovsky, tidal disruption) affecting the known IEO population.
AB - We present the first observational measurement of the orbit and size distribution of small Solar System objects whose orbits are wholly interior to the Earth's (Inner Earth Objects, IEOs, with aphelion <0.983 AU). We show that we are able to model the detections of near-Earth objects (NEO) by the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) using a detailed parameterization of the CSS survey cadence and detection efficiencies as implemented within the Jedicke et al. [Jedicke, R., Morbidelli, A., Spahr, T., Petit, J.M., Bottke, W.F., 2003. Icarus 161, 17-33] survey simulator and utilizing the Bottke et al. [Bottke, W.F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H.F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T.S., 2002. Icarus 156, 399-433] model of the NEO population's size and orbit distribution. We then show that the CSS detections of 4 IEOs are consistent with the Bottke et al. [Bottke, W.F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H.F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T.S., 2002. Icarus 156, 399-433] IEO model. Observational selection effects for the IEOs discovered by the CSS were then determined using the survey simulator in order to calculate the corrected number and H distribution of the IEOs. The actual number of IEOs with H < 18 (21) is 36 ± 26 (530 ± 240) and the slope of the H magnitude distribution (∝ 10α H) for the IEOs is αIEO = 0.44-0.22+0.23. The slope is consistent with previous measurements for the NEO population of αNEO = 0.35 ± 0.02 [Bottke, W.F., Morbidelli, A., Jedicke, R., Petit, J.-M., Levison, H.F., Michel, P., Metcalfe, T.S., 2002. Icarus 156, 399-433] and αNEO = 0.39 ± 0.013 [Stuart, J.S., Binzel, R.P., 2004. Icarus 170, 295-311]. Based on the agreement between the predicted and observed IEO orbit and absolute magnitude distributions there is no indication of any non-gravitational effects (e.g. Yarkovsky, tidal disruption) affecting the known IEO population.
KW - Asteroids
KW - dynamics
KW - Near-Earth objects
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=55949135155&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=55949135155&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.icarus.2008.05.021
DO - 10.1016/j.icarus.2008.05.021
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:55949135155
VL - 198
SP - 284
EP - 293
JO - Icarus
JF - Icarus
SN - 0019-1035
IS - 2
ER -