Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userDetecting Earths Temporarily-Captured Natural Satellites - Minimoons
175
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
We present a study on the discoverability of temporarily captured orbiters (TCOs) by present day or near-term anticipated ground-based and space-based facilities. TCOs (Granvik et al. 2012) are potential targets for spacecraft ren- dezvous or human exploration (Chyba et al. 2014) and provide an opportunity to study the population of the smallest asteroids in the solar system. We find that present day ground-based optical surveys such as Pan-STARRS and ATLAS can discover the largest TCOs over years of operation. A targeted survey conducted with the Subaru telescope can discover TCOs in the 0.5 m to 1.0 m diameter size range in about 5 nights of observing. Furthermore, we discuss the application of space-based infrared surveys, such as NEOWISE, and ground-based meteor detection systems such as CAMS, CAMO and ASGARD in discovering TCOs. These systems can detect TCOs but at a uninteresting rate. Finally, we discuss the application of bi-static radar at Arecibo and Green Bank to discover TCOs. Our radar simulations are strongly dependent on the rotation rate distribution of the smallest asteroids but with an optimistic distribution we find that these systems have > 80% chance of detecting a > 10 cm diameter TCO in about 40 h of operation.
rate research
Read More
We present time-resolved visible spectrophotometry of minimoon 2020 CD$_3$, the second asteroid known to become temporarily captured by the Earth-Moon systems gravitational field. The spectrophotometry was taken with Keck I/LRIS between wavelengths 434 nm and 912 nm in $B$, $g$, $V$, $R$, $I$ and RG850 filters as it was leaving the Earth-Moon system on 2020 March 23 UTC. The spectrophotometry of 2020 CD$_3$ most closely resembles the spectra of V-type asteroids and some Lunar rock samples with a reddish slope of ~18$%$/100 nm between 434 nm and 761 nm corresponding to colors of $g$-$r$ = 0.62$pm$0.08, $r$-$i$ = 0.21 $pm$ 0.06 and an absorption band at ~900 nm corresponding to $i$-$z$ = -0.54$pm$0.10. Combining our measured 31.9$pm$0.1 absolute magnitude with an albedo of 0.35 typical for V-type asteroids, we determine 2020 CD$_3$s diameter to be ~0.9$pm$0.1 m making it the first minimoon and one of the smallest asteroids to be spectrally studied. We use our time-series photometry to detect periodic lightcurve variations with a $<$10$^{-4}$ false alarm probability corresponding to a lightcurve period of ~573 s and a lightcurve amplitude of ~1 mag implying 2020 CD$_3$ possesses a $b/a$ axial ratio of ~2.5. In addition, we extend the observational arc of 2020 CD$_3$ to 37 days between 2020 February 15 UTC and 2020 March 23 UTC. From the improved orbital solution for 2020 CD$_3$, we estimate its likely duration of its capture to be ~2 y, and we measure the non-gravitation perturbation on its orbit due to radiation pressure with an area-to-mass ratio of 6.9$pm$2.4$times$10$^{-4}$ m$^2$/kg implying a density of 2.3$pm$0.8 g/cm$^3$, broadly compatible with the densities of other meter-scale asteroids and Lunar rock. We searched for pre-discovery detections of 2020 CD$_3$ in the ZTF archive as far back as 2018 October, but were unable to locate any positive detections.
We investigate directly imaging exoplanets around eclipsing binaries, using the eclipse as a natural tool for dimming the binary and thus increasing the planet to star brightness contrast. At eclipse, the binary becomes point-like, making coronagraphy possible. We select binaries where the planet-star contrast would be boosted by $>10times$ during eclipse, making it possible to detect a planet that is $gtrsim10times$ fainter or in a star system that is $sim2$-$3times$ more massive than otherwise. Our approach will yield insights into planet occurrence rates around binaries versus individual stars. We consider both self-luminous (SL) and reflected light (RL) planets. In the SL case, we select binaries whose age is young enough so that an orbiting SL planet would remain luminous; in U Cep and AC Sct, respectively, our method is sensitive to SL planets of $sim$4.5$M_J$ and $sim$9$M_J$ with current ground- or near-future space-based instruments, and $sim$1.5$M_J$ and $sim$6$M_J$ with future ground-based observatories. In the RL case, there are three nearby ($lesssim50$ pc) systems -- V1412 Aql, RR Cae, RT Pic -- around which a Jupiter-like planet at a planet-star separation of $gtrsim20$ mas might be imaged with future ground- and space-based coronagraphs. A Venus-like planet at the same distance might be detectable around RR Cae and RT Pic. A habitable Earth-like planet represents a challenge; while the planet-star contrast at eclipse and planet flux are accessible with a 6-8m space telescope, the planet-star separation is 1/3 - 1/4 of the angular separation limit of modern coronagraphy.
Typically we can deliver astrometric positions of natural satellites with errors in the 50-150 mas range. Apparent distances from mutual phenomena, have much smaller errors, less than 10 mas. However, this method can only be applied during the equinox of the planets. We developed a method that can provide accurate astrometric data for natural satellites -- the mutual approximations. The method can be applied when any two satellites pass close by each other in the apparent sky plane. The fundamental parameter is the central instant $t_0$ of the passage when the distances reach a minimum. We applied the method for the Galilean moons. All observations were made with a 0.6 m telescope with a narrow-band filter centred at 889 nm with width of 15 nm which attenuated Jupiters scattered light. We obtained central instants for 14 mutual approximations observed in 2014-2015. We determined $t_0$ with an average precision of 3.42 mas (10.43 km). For comparison, we also applied the method for 5 occultations in the 2009 mutual phenomena campaign and for 22 occultations in the 2014-2015 campaign. The comparisons of $t_0$ determined by our method with the results from mutual phenomena show an agreement by less than 1-sigma error in $t_0$, typically less than 10 mas. This new method is particularly suitable for observations by small telescopes.
Normal form stability estimates are a basic tool of Celestial Mechanics for characterizing the long-term stability of the orbits of natural and artificial bodies. Using high-order normal form constructions, we provide three different estimates for the orbital stability of point-mass satellites orbiting around the Earth. i) We demonstrate the long term stability of the semimajor axis within the framework of the $J_2$ problem, by a normal form construction eliminating the fast angle in the corresponding Hamiltonian and obtaining $H_{J_2}$ . ii) We demonstrate the stability of the eccentricity and inclination in a secular Hamiltonian model including lunisolar perturbations (the geolunisolar Hamiltonian $H_{gls}$), after a suitable reduction of the Hamiltonian to the Laplace plane. iii) We numerically examine the convexity and steepness properties of the integrable part of the secular Hamiltonian in both the $H_{J_2}$ and $H_{gls}$ models, which reflect necessary conditions for the holding of Nekhoroshevs theorem on the exponential stability of the orbits. We find that the $H_{J_2}$ model is non-convex, but satisfies a three-jet condition, while the $H_{gls}$ model restores quasi-convexity by adding lunisolar terms in the Hamiltonians integrable part.
Hot super-Earths likely possess minimal atmospheres established through vapor saturation equilibrium with the ground. We solve the hydrodynamics of these tenuous atmospheres at the surface of Corot-7b, Kepler 10b and 55 Cnc-e, including idealized treatments of magnetic drag and ohmic dissipation. We find that atmospheric pressures remain close to their local saturation values in all cases. Despite the emergence of strongly supersonic winds which carry sublimating mass away from the substellar point, the atmospheres do not extend much beyond the day-night terminators. Ground temperatures, which determine the planetary thermal (infrared) signature, are largely unaffected by exchanges with the atmosphere and thus follow the effective irradiation pattern. Atmospheric temperatures, however, which control cloud condensation and thus albedo properties, can deviate substantially from the irradiation pattern. Magnetic drag and ohmic dissipation can also strongly impact the atmospheric behavior, depending on atmospheric composition and the planetary magnetic field strength. We conclude that hot super-Earths could exhibit interesting signatures in reflection (and possibly in emission) which would trace a combination of their ground, atmospheric and magnetic properties.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
