Relationship on Surface Morphology of Small Asteroids and Geopotential

Naru HIRATA; Koji MATSUMOTO; Jun KIMURA

Presentation information

Oral

Symbol U (Union) » Union

[U-06_28AM1] New Progress toward the Understanding of Small Solar System Bodies

Mon. Apr 28, 2014 9:00 AM - 10:45 AM 503 (5F)

Convener:*Masahiko Arakawa(Graduate School of Science, Kobe University), Taishi Nakamoto(Tokyo Institute of Technology), Sei-ichiro WATANABE(Division of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University), Masanao Abe(Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), MASATERU ISHIGURO(Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University), Chair:Masahiko Arakawa(Graduate School of Science, Kobe University)

10:00 AM - 10:15 AM

[U06-05] Relationship on Surface Morphology of Small Asteroids and Geopotential

*Naru HIRATA¹, Koji MATSUMOTO², Jun KIMURA³ (1.ARC-Space/CAIST, The University of Aizu, 2.RISE Project, The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 3.The Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) of Tokyo Institute of Technology)

Keywords:Asteroid, geopotential, smooth terrain, Itokawa, 1999JU3

We compared the distribution of smooth terrains with the geopotential map of the asteroid Itokawa, and demonstrate that the distribution of smooth terrains on Itokawa is strongly controlled by the geopotential distribution. Because the geopotential distribution of an asteroid can be estimated from its shape, rotation state and density, we can predict the distribution of smooth terrains on the asteroid from these observations.