Published September 1, 2016 | Version v1
Journal article

NEOWISE REACTIVATION MISSION YEAR TWO: ASTEROID DIAMETERS AND ALBEDOS

  • 1. Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
  • 2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)
  • 3. Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ (United States)
  • 4. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States)

Description

The Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission continues to detect, track, and characterize minor planets. We present diameters and albedos calculated from observations taken during the second year since the spacecraft was reactivated in late 2013. These include 207 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and 8885 other asteroids. Of the NEAs, 84% NEAs did not have previously measured diameters and albedos by the NEOWISE mission. Comparison of sizes and albedos calculated from NEOWISE measurements with those measured by occultations, spacecraft, and radar-derived shapes shows accuracy consistent with previous NEOWISE publications. Diameters and albedos fall within ±∼20% and ±∼40%, 1-sigma, respectively, of those measured by these alternate techniques. NEOWISE continues to preferentially discover near-Earth objects which are large (>100 m), and have low albedos.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/0004-6256/152/3/63

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online)
Journal Volume
152
Journal Issue
3
Journal Page Range
[12 p.]
ISSN
1538-3881

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
49008459
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
ACCURACY; ALBEDO; ASTEROIDS; ASTRONOMY; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; EARTH PLANET; ECLIPSE; INFRARED SURVEYS; RADAR; SPACE VEHICLES
Descriptors DEC
EVALUATION; GEOLOGIC SURVEYS; GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; PLANETS; RANGE FINDERS; VEHICLES