Thermophysical Model of (269) Justitia—Main Belt Asteroid Possibly Implanted from Trans-Neptunian Region

Asteroid Justitia is a special main-belt object, being an extremely red body with a steeper spectral slope than any other D-type asteroid. Conversely, its spectral and polarimetric properties resemble organics-rich Centaurs and trans-Neptunian objects. For this reason, it was chosen as a main target...

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Main Authors: Anna Marciniak, Antoine Choukroun, Julia Perła, Waldemar Ogłoza, Robert Szakáts, Pierre Antonini, Raoul Behrend, Géza Csörnyei, Marek Dróżdż, Marcel Fauvaud, Stéphane Fauvaud, Adrian Jones, Dong-Heun Kim, Myung-Jin Kim, Viktor Kudak, Iga Mieczkowska, Erika Pakštienė, Vasyl Perig, Eda Sonbas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Planetary Science Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adb28b
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author Anna Marciniak
Antoine Choukroun
Julia Perła
Waldemar Ogłoza
Robert Szakáts
Pierre Antonini
Raoul Behrend
Géza Csörnyei
Marek Dróżdż
Marcel Fauvaud
Stéphane Fauvaud
Adrian Jones
Dong-Heun Kim
Myung-Jin Kim
Viktor Kudak
Iga Mieczkowska
Erika Pakštienė
Vasyl Perig
Eda Sonbas
author_facet Anna Marciniak
Antoine Choukroun
Julia Perła
Waldemar Ogłoza
Robert Szakáts
Pierre Antonini
Raoul Behrend
Géza Csörnyei
Marek Dróżdż
Marcel Fauvaud
Stéphane Fauvaud
Adrian Jones
Dong-Heun Kim
Myung-Jin Kim
Viktor Kudak
Iga Mieczkowska
Erika Pakštienė
Vasyl Perig
Eda Sonbas
author_sort Anna Marciniak
collection DOAJ
description Asteroid Justitia is a special main-belt object, being an extremely red body with a steeper spectral slope than any other D-type asteroid. Conversely, its spectral and polarimetric properties resemble organics-rich Centaurs and trans-Neptunian objects. For this reason, it was chosen as a main target of the MBR Explorer space mission. It is crucial for space mission planning and operations to have in advance the best estimate of the target size, spin, shape, and properties of the surface. In particular, the size determination was in high demand before the extensive stellar occultation campaign in 2023 August, for station deployment and observation planning. We utilized multiple lightcurves from our campaign on slow rotators and from the literature to reconstruct the spin and shape of Justitia via lightcurve inversion. Then we applied the Convex Inversion Thermophysical Model to simultaneously optimize the fit to visible lightcurves and to thermal data from infrared space observatories. We present here the pair of most precise physical models of Justitia possible before the occultation campaign, with similar properties of both solutions. The size range of Justitia was narrowed here to 55–60 km, so by a factor of 4 compared with previous estimates, and also the shape model's resolution was improved. An estimate of thermal inertia and surface roughness was also obtained, with implications for surface texture and regolith properties.
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spelling doaj-art-a8a985ddb854493fa2d0e73e4a87feb72025-08-20T03:39:44ZengIOP PublishingThe Planetary Science Journal2632-33382025-01-01636010.3847/PSJ/adb28bThermophysical Model of (269) Justitia—Main Belt Asteroid Possibly Implanted from Trans-Neptunian RegionAnna Marciniak0Antoine Choukroun1Julia Perła2Waldemar Ogłoza3Robert Szakáts4Pierre Antonini5Raoul Behrend6Géza Csörnyei7Marek Dróżdż8Marcel Fauvaud9Stéphane Fauvaud10Adrian Jones11Dong-Heun Kim12Myung-Jin Kim13Viktor Kudak14Iga Mieczkowska15Erika Pakštienė16Vasyl Perig17Eda Sonbas18Astronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Adam Mickiewicz University , Słoneczna 36, 60-286 Poznań, PolandAstronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Adam Mickiewicz University , Słoneczna 36, 60-286 Poznań, PolandAstronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Adam Mickiewicz University , Słoneczna 36, 60-286 Poznań, PolandMount Suhora Observatory, University of the National Education Commission, Podchorążych 2, 30-084, Cracow, PolandKonkoly Observatory, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences , Konkoly Thege 15-17, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary; CSFK, MTA Centre of Excellence , Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, H-1121, HungaryGeneva Observatory , CH-1290 Sauverny, SwitzerlandGeneva Observatory , CH-1290 Sauverny, SwitzerlandKonkoly Observatory, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences , Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), H-1121 Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, HungaryMount Suhora Observatory, University of the National Education Commission, Podchorążych 2, 30-084, Cracow, PolandObservatoire du Bois de Bardon , 16110 Taponnat, France; Association T60, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées , 14, avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, FranceObservatoire du Bois de Bardon , 16110 Taponnat, France; Association T60, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées , 14, avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, FranceBritish Astronomical Association , Burlington House, Piccadilly, Mayfair, W1J 0DU, London, UKChungbuk National University , 1, Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of KoreaKorea Astronomy and Space Science Institute , 776 Daedeok-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055, Republic of KoreaLaboratory of Space Researches, Uzhhorod National University , Daleka st. 2a, 88000, Uzhhorod, UkraineAstronomical Observatory Institute, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Adam Mickiewicz University , Słoneczna 36, 60-286 Poznań, PolandInstitute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy, Vilnius University , Saulėtekio al. 3, 10257 Vilnius, LithuaniaLaboratory of Space Researches, Uzhhorod National University , Daleka st. 2a, 88000, Uzhhorod, UkraineDepartment of Physics, Adıyaman University , Adıyaman 02040, Türkiye; Astrophysics Application and Research Center, Adıyaman University , Adıyaman 02040, TürkiyeAsteroid Justitia is a special main-belt object, being an extremely red body with a steeper spectral slope than any other D-type asteroid. Conversely, its spectral and polarimetric properties resemble organics-rich Centaurs and trans-Neptunian objects. For this reason, it was chosen as a main target of the MBR Explorer space mission. It is crucial for space mission planning and operations to have in advance the best estimate of the target size, spin, shape, and properties of the surface. In particular, the size determination was in high demand before the extensive stellar occultation campaign in 2023 August, for station deployment and observation planning. We utilized multiple lightcurves from our campaign on slow rotators and from the literature to reconstruct the spin and shape of Justitia via lightcurve inversion. Then we applied the Convex Inversion Thermophysical Model to simultaneously optimize the fit to visible lightcurves and to thermal data from infrared space observatories. We present here the pair of most precise physical models of Justitia possible before the occultation campaign, with similar properties of both solutions. The size range of Justitia was narrowed here to 55–60 km, so by a factor of 4 compared with previous estimates, and also the shape model's resolution was improved. An estimate of thermal inertia and surface roughness was also obtained, with implications for surface texture and regolith properties.https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adb28bAsteroidsAsteroid surfacesAsteroid rotation
spellingShingle Anna Marciniak
Antoine Choukroun
Julia Perła
Waldemar Ogłoza
Robert Szakáts
Pierre Antonini
Raoul Behrend
Géza Csörnyei
Marek Dróżdż
Marcel Fauvaud
Stéphane Fauvaud
Adrian Jones
Dong-Heun Kim
Myung-Jin Kim
Viktor Kudak
Iga Mieczkowska
Erika Pakštienė
Vasyl Perig
Eda Sonbas
Thermophysical Model of (269) Justitia—Main Belt Asteroid Possibly Implanted from Trans-Neptunian Region
The Planetary Science Journal
Asteroids
Asteroid surfaces
Asteroid rotation
title Thermophysical Model of (269) Justitia—Main Belt Asteroid Possibly Implanted from Trans-Neptunian Region
title_full Thermophysical Model of (269) Justitia—Main Belt Asteroid Possibly Implanted from Trans-Neptunian Region
title_fullStr Thermophysical Model of (269) Justitia—Main Belt Asteroid Possibly Implanted from Trans-Neptunian Region
title_full_unstemmed Thermophysical Model of (269) Justitia—Main Belt Asteroid Possibly Implanted from Trans-Neptunian Region
title_short Thermophysical Model of (269) Justitia—Main Belt Asteroid Possibly Implanted from Trans-Neptunian Region
title_sort thermophysical model of 269 justitia main belt asteroid possibly implanted from trans neptunian region
topic Asteroids
Asteroid surfaces
Asteroid rotation
url https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adb28b
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