Objective
The project is aimed to study surface properties of small bodies from the inner and outer belts of the Solar system in order to put constraints on their formation and surface evolution scenarios. We plan to develop a complex approach to derive characteristics of the topmost surface layer of atmosphereless bodies, mainly average particle size and porosity, from remote observations. The main idea is to combine observational data obtained by three different techniques: photometry, polarimetry and spectroscopy and to analyze them jointly by using semi-empirical models and available data on laboratory and numerical modeling. The approach will be tested and improved based on the comparison of surface characteristics derived from ground-based and space observations for several asteroids, including targets of Rosetta space missions 2867 Steins and 21 Lutetia. The project presents the first systematic analysis of surface characteristics of small bodies from the inner and outer parts of Solar system based on increased amount of observational data for near-Earth and main belt asteroids and transneptunian objects. The following main results are expected: (1) a new approach to constrain surface texture of small atmosphereless bodies from remote observations; (2) new data on the surface characteristics of asteroids and transneptunian objects; (3) some constraints on the models describing surface evolution processes of small bodies in the inner and outer Solar system.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
FP7-PEOPLE-IIF-2008
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Funding Scheme
MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)Coordinator
75014 Paris
France