Basaltic asteroids in the Near-Earth Objects population: a mineralogical analysis

¹ Observatório Nacional - MCT, Rua Gal. José Cristino 77, Rio de Janeiro, 20921-400 RJ, Brazil e-mail: duffard@mps.mpg.de
² Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, c/ vía Láctea s/n, 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
³ Isaac Newton Group, PO Box 321, 38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma, La Palma, Spain

Received: 13 October 2005
Accepted: 20 April 2006

Abstract

Aims.We present reflectance spectra of three V-type Near-Earth Objects obtained at the 3.6 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo and at the 2.5 m Nordic Optical Telescope covering the near-infrared and visible range, respectively. The range from 0.5 to 2.5 μm, encompassing the 1 and 2 μm pyroxene features, allows a mineralogical characterization of these asteroids.

Methods.A preliminary analysis using the classical methods has been applied to establish some constraints on the surface mineralogy of these objects. Then, the Modified Gaussian Method was applied to gain further insight on the possible mineral components present in the surface of the objects.

Results.The comparison between these basaltic asteroids in near Earth orbits and the achondrite basaltic meteorites shows a quite clear mineralogical link, corroborating the long-standing hypothesis of the Near-Earth Objects population as the immediate source of these meteorites.