Abstract
The stony iron model for the S asteroids has been tested using observed reflectance spectra of the S asteroids and modeled spectra of meteoritic components. Observed reflectance spectra of 40 S asteroids were fit with linear combinations of laboratory reflectance spectra of 6 representative primitive achondrites and an iron meteorite. Specular and diffuse reflection components were taken into account for metallic-iron reflectance. Even with this limited set of meteorite spectra, 16 of those 40 S asteroids were fit fairly well in terms of absorption-band features and spectral profiles. The number of well-fit S asteroids may be greater if the number and variety of metallic and stony domains are expanded. This initial result suggests that many of the S-asteroidal surfaces may be various kinds of regional mixtures of primitive achondrites and metallic iron. If true, the S asteroids could have been originally formed of chondrite-like source materials because mineral assemblages of primitive achondrites seem to have recrystallized from chondrites by segregation of metallic components and loss of partial melts.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 107-116 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Icarus |
Volume | 102 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1993 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science