New and updated convex shape models of asteroids based on optical data from a large collaboration network

¹ Centre National d’Études Spatiales, 2 place Maurice Quentin, 75039 Paris Cedex 01, France
e-mail: hanus.home@gmail.com
² Laboratoire Lagrange, UMR7293, Université de la Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Blvd de l’Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice Cedex 4, France
³ Astronomical Institute, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague, V Holešovičkách 2, 18000 Prague, Czech Republic
⁴ Astronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Słoneczna 36, 60-286 Poznań, Poland
⁵ Geneva Observatory, 1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
⁶ Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, OHP (Observatoire de Haute Provence), Institut Pythéas (UMS 3470), 04870 Saint-Michel-l’Observatoire, France
⁷ Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, The University of Edinburgh, Erskine Williamson Building, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
⁸ Association T60, Observatoire du Pic du Midi, 65200 Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France
⁹ Observatoire des Hauts Patys, 84410 Bédoin, France
¹⁰ Observatoire de Chinon, Mairie de Chinon, 37500 Chinon, France
¹¹ Villefagnan Observatory, France
¹² Harfleur Observatory, France
¹³ 490 chemin du gonnet, 38440 Saint Jean de Bournay, France
¹⁴ Observatoire des Engarouines, 1606 chemin de Rigoy, 84570 Malemort-du-Comtat, France
¹⁵ Collonges Observatory, 90 allée des résidences, 74160 Collonges, France
¹⁶ SUPA, School of Physics & Astronomy, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK
¹⁷ Via Capote Observatory, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
¹⁸ Le Florian, Villa 4, 880 chemin de Ribac-Estagnol, 06600 Antibes, France
¹⁹ Observatoire de Dauban, 04150 Banon, France
²⁰ Levendaal Observatory, Uiterstegracht 48, 2312 TE Leiden, The Netherlands
²¹ European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Coquimbo, Chile
²² Eurac Observatory, Bolzano/Bozen, Italy
²³ Vallemare di Bordona, Rieti, Italy
²⁴ Observatorio Astronómico Caimari, 07144 Costitx, Spain
²⁵ Observatoire de Durtal, 49430 Durtal, France
²⁶ OAM - Mallorca, 07144 Costitx, Spain
²⁷ 20 parc des Pervenches, 13012 Marseille, France
²⁸ Agrupación Astronómica de Sabadell, Apartado de Correos 50, PO Box 50, 08200 Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain
²⁹ Observatorio El Vendrell, 1193 Trragona, Spain
³⁰ AFOEV (Association Française des Observateurs d’Etoiles Variables), Observatoire de Strasbourg 11, rue de l’Université, 67000 Strasbourg, France
³¹ Observatori d’Ager, 08014 Barcelona, Spain
³² Stazione Astronomica di Sozzago, 28060 Sozzago, Italy
³³ Santa Lucia Stroncone, 05039 Stroncone, Italy
³⁴ Institut d’Astrophysique de l’Université Liège, Allèe du 6 Aout 17, 4000 Liège, Belgium
³⁵ Haleakala-Faulkes Telescope North, Hawaii, USA
³⁶ Seine-Maritime, Le Havre, 76600 Haute-Normandie, France
³⁷ Village-Neuf Observatory, 9bis rue du Sauvage, 68300 Saint-Louis, France
³⁸ Mt. Suhora Observatory, Pedagogical University. Podchorążych 2, 30-084, Cracow, Poland
³⁹ Shed of Science Observatory, 5213 Washburn Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55410, USA
⁴⁰ Waterlooville, UK
⁴¹ Observatoire St-Martin, 31 grande rue, 25330 Amathay Vésigneux, France
⁴² Observatorio CEAM, Caimari, Canary Islands, Spain
⁴³ Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
⁴⁴ Observatoire du Bois de Bardon, 16110 Taponnat, France
⁴⁵ Association T60, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
⁴⁶ Osservatorio l’Ampolla, Tarragona, Spain
⁴⁷ International Occultation Timing Association, Montgomery, AL, USA
⁴⁸ Club d’Astronomie de Lyon Ampere (CALA), Place de la Nation, 69120 Vaulx-en-Velin, France
⁴⁹ LinhaceiraObservatory, Portugal
⁵⁰ Hong Kong Space Museum, Tsimshatsui, Hong Kong, PR China
⁵¹ Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Rutherfordstrasse 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
⁵² Astroqueyras, Mairie, 05350 Saint-Véran, France
⁵³ 51 Centre astronomique de la Couyère, La Ville d’ABas, 35320 La Couyère, France
⁵⁴ Hunters Hill Observatory, 7 Mawalan Street, Ngunnawal ACT 2913, Australia
⁵⁵ Observatoire des Terres Blanches, 04110 Reillanne, France
⁵⁶ Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, 16 Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK
⁵⁷ Guitalens Observatory, 5 chemin d’En Combes, 81220 Guitalens, France
⁵⁸ Observatoire Les Makes, G. Bizet 18, 97421 La Rivière, France
⁵⁹ 980 Antelope Drive West, Bennett, CO 80102, USA
⁶⁰ Institute of Astronomy of Kharkiv Karazin National University, Kharkiv 61022, Sumska Str. 35, Ukraine
⁶¹ Severní 765, 50003 Hradec Králové, Czech republic
⁶² Uranoscope, Avenue Carnot 7, 77220 Gretz-Armainvilliers, France
⁶³ Observatoire OPERA, France
⁶⁴ Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, CSIC, Apdo. 9481, 08080 Barcelona, Spain
⁶⁵ Mulheim-Ruhr, Germany
⁶⁶ Tzec Maun Foundation Observatory, Mayhill, New Mexico, US
⁶⁷ Observatorio Montcabrer, C/Jaume Balmes nb 24, Cabrils 08348 Barcelona, Spain
⁶⁸ Kingsgrove, NSW, Australia
⁶⁹ Sant Gervasi Observatory, 08022 Barcelona, Spain
⁷⁰ 4438 Organ Mesa Loop, Las Cruces, NM 88011, USA
⁷¹ Rue des Ecoles 2, 34920 Le Crès, France
⁷² 11 rue François-Nouteau, 49650 Brain-sur-Allonnes, France
⁷³ Ottmarsheim Observatory, 5 rue du Lièvre, 68490 Ottmarsheim, France
⁷⁴ Université Claude BERNARD Lyon 1. Observatoire de Pommier, POMMIER, 63230 Chapdes-Beaufort, France
⁷⁵ 4 rue de la Bruyère, 37500 La Roche Clermault, France
⁷⁶ Observatoire de Blauvac, 293 chemin de St Guillaume, 84570 Blauvac, France
⁷⁷ Shadowbox Observatory, 12745 Crescent Drive, Carmel, IN 46032, USA
⁷⁸ Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
⁷⁹ Savigny-le-Temple, France
⁸⁰ Observatorio Amanecer de Arrakis, MPC274 Alcalá de Guadaíra, Sevilla, Spain
⁸¹ Gnosca Observatory, 6525 Gnosca, Switzerland
⁸² DeKalb Observatory, 2507 CR 60, Auburn, IN 46706, USA
⁸³ Center for Solar System Studies, 9302 Pittsburgh Ave, Suite 105, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730, USA
⁸⁴ School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, James Clerk Maxwell Building, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
⁸⁵ European Space Astronomy Centre, ESA, PO Box 78, 28691 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain
⁸⁶ Ironwood North, Hawaii, USA
⁸⁷ Centre de Recherche en Astronomie, Astrophysique et Géophysique, BP 63 Bouzereah, Algiers
⁸⁸ Astronomical Observatory of Jagiellonian University, ul. Orla 171, 30-244 Kraków, Poland

Received: 24 September 2015
Accepted: 22 October 2015

Abstract

Context. Asteroid modeling efforts in the last decade resulted in a comprehensive dataset of almost 400 convex shape models and their rotation states. These efforts already provided deep insight into physical properties of main-belt asteroids or large collisional families. Going into finer detail (e.g., smaller collisional families, asteroids with sizes ≲20 km) requires knowledge of physical parameters of more objects.

Aims. We aim to increase the number of asteroid shape models and rotation states. Such results provide important input for further studies, such as analysis of asteroid physical properties in different populations, including smaller collisional families, thermophysical modeling, and scaling shape models by disk-resolved images, or stellar occultation data. This provides bulk density estimates in combination with known masses, but also constrains theoretical collisional and evolutional models of the solar system.

Methods. We use all available disk-integrated optical data (i.e., classical dense-in-time photometry obtained from public databases and through a large collaboration network as well as sparse-in-time individual measurements from a few sky surveys) as input for the convex inversion method, and derive 3D shape models of asteroids together with their rotation periods and orientations of rotation axes. The key ingredient is the support of more that 100 observers who submit their optical data to publicly available databases.

Results. We present updated shape models for 36 asteroids, for which mass estimates are currently available in the literature, or for which masses will most likely be determined from their gravitational influence on smaller bodies whose orbital deflections will be observed by the ESA Gaia astrometric mission. Moreover, we also present new shape model determinations for 250 asteroids, including 13 Hungarias and three near-Earth asteroids. The shape model revisions and determinations were enabled by using additional optical data from recent apparitions for shape optimization.