Preliminary Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-cryogenic Observations of Main Belt Asteroids

November 2012 • 2012ApJ...759L...8M

Authors • Masiero, Joseph R. • Mainzer, A. K. • Grav, T. • Bauer, J. M. • Cutri, R. M. • Nugent, C. • Cabrera, M. S.

Abstract • We present preliminary diameters and albedos for 13511 Main Belt asteroids (MBAs) that were observed during the 3-Band Cryo phase of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE; after the outer cryogen tank was exhausted) and as part of the NEOWISE Post-Cryo Survey (after the inner cryogen tank was exhausted). With a reduced or complete loss of sensitivity in the two long wavelength channels of WISE, the uncertainty in our fitted diameters and albedos is increased to ~20% for diameter and ~40% for albedo. Diameter fits using only the 3.4 and 4.6 μm channels are shown to be dependent on the literature optical H absolute magnitudes. These data allow us to increase the number of size estimates for large MBAs which have been identified as members of dynamical families. We present thermal fits for 14 asteroids previously identified as the parents of a dynamical family that were not observed during the fully cryogenic mission.

Links

• PDF https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2041-8205/759/1/L8/pdf
• PDF https://stacks.iop.org/2041-8205/759/L8/pdf
• PREPRINT http://arxiv.org/abs/1209.5794
• DATA http://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/ApJ/759/L8
• ELECTR https://doi.org/10.1088%2F2041-8205%2F759%2F1%2FL8
• SPIRES http://inspirehep.net/search?p=find+eprint+arXiv:1209.5794