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Compositional differences between meteorites and near-Earth asteroids

Author

Listed:
  • P. Vernazza

    (European Space Agency, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands)

  • R. P. Binzel

    (Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA)

  • C. A. Thomas

    (Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA)

  • F. E. DeMeo

    (Laboratoire d’Etudes Spatiales et d’Instrumentation en Astrophysique, Observatoire de Paris, 5 Place Jules Janssen, Meudon, F-92195, France)

  • S. J. Bus

    (Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 640 North A’ohoku Place, Hilo, Hawaii 96720, USA)

  • A. S. Rivkin

    (Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, Maryland 20723, USA)

  • A. T. Tokunaga

    (Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA)

Abstract

Hazardous asteroids: where they are coming from New spectral measurements of near-Earth asteroids reveal, as might be expected, overall compositions similar to the most commonly falling meteorites, the ordinary chondrites. But the compositional distribution is un-expected: about two-thirds of near-Earth asteroids, including those most likely to hit us, match the class of meteorites known as LL chondrites, which comprise only about 8% of all meteorite falls. This may reflect an origin at the asteroid belt's inner edge, where the family of asteroids produced by the break-up of the Flora parent body predominates. A possible explanation might lie in the involvement of size-dependent processes in the transport of material from the main asteroid belt to the vicinity of Earth's orbit.

Suggested Citation

  • P. Vernazza & R. P. Binzel & C. A. Thomas & F. E. DeMeo & S. J. Bus & A. S. Rivkin & A. T. Tokunaga, 2008. "Compositional differences between meteorites and near-Earth asteroids," Nature, Nature, vol. 454(7206), pages 858-860, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:454:y:2008:i:7206:d:10.1038_nature07154
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07154
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