Article

New determination of the size and bulk density of the binary asteroid 22 Kalliope from observations of mutual eclipses

10/2007; DOI:doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2008.03.014
Source: arXiv

ABSTRACT In 2007, the M-type binary asteroid 22 Kalliope reached one of its annual equinoxes. As a consequence, the orbit plane of its small moon, Linus, was aligned closely to the Sun's line of sight, giving rise to a mutual eclipse season. A dedicated international campaign of photometric observations, based on amateur-professional collaboration, was organized and coordinated by the IMCCE in order to catch several of these events. The set of the compiled observations is released in this work. We developed a relevant model of these events, including a topographic shape model of Kalliope refined in the present work, the orbit solution of Linus as well as the photometric effect of the shadow of one component falling on the other. By fitting this model to the only two full recorded events, we derived a new estimation of the equivalent diameter of Kalliope of 166.2+/-2.8km, 8% smaller than its IRAS diameter. As to the diameter of Linus, considered as purely spherical, it is estimated to 28+/-2 km. This substantial "shortening" of Kalliope gives a bulk density of 3.35+/-0.33g/cm3, significantly higher than past determinations but more consistent with its taxonomic type. Some constraints can be inferred on the composition. Comment: 59 pages, 8 tables, 15 figures submitted to Icarus

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Keywords

8 tables
 
8% smaller
 
amateur-professional collaboration
 
annual equinoxes
 
bulk density
 
compiled observations
 
dedicated international campaign
 
equivalent diameter
 
IRAS diameter
 
M-type binary asteroid 22 Kalliope
 
mutual eclipse season
 
orbit plane
 
orbit solution
 
photometric effect
 
present work
 
small moon
 
Sun's line
 
taxonomic type
 
topographic shape model
 
two full