Links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the centaurs

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The Centaurs are a transitional population of minor bodies of the solar system and the evolutionary link between the trans-Neptunian objects and the short period comets. The surface properties of these objects are very peculiar, because currently available data suggest that their visual surface colo...

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Autores principales: Melita, M.D., Licandro, J.
Formato: Artículo publishedVersion
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2012
Materias:
asteroids: general
Kuiper belt: general
minor planets
Color distribution
Cometary activity
Dynamical evolution
Heliocentric distances
Kuiper belt: generals
Minor bodies
Minor planets
Numerical integrations
Orbital evolutions
Physical process
Reflection spectra
Short periods
Statistical differences
Surface colors
Time-scales
Trans-neptunian objects
Asteroids
Color
Equations of motion
Solar system
Surface properties
Population statistics
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00046361_v539_n_p_Melita
Aporte de:
Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA) de Universidad de Buenos Aires
id paperaa:paper_00046361_v539_n_p_Melita
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spelling paperaa:paper_00046361_v539_n_p_Melita2023-06-12T16:40:54Z Links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the centaurs Astron. Astrophys. 2012;539 Melita, M.D. Licandro, J. asteroids: general Kuiper belt: general minor planets Color distribution Cometary activity Dynamical evolution Heliocentric distances Kuiper belt: generals Minor bodies Minor planets Numerical integrations Orbital evolutions Physical process Reflection spectra Short periods Statistical differences Surface colors Time-scales Trans-neptunian objects Asteroids Color Equations of motion Solar system Surface properties Population statistics The Centaurs are a transitional population of minor bodies of the solar system and the evolutionary link between the trans-Neptunian objects and the short period comets. The surface properties of these objects are very peculiar, because currently available data suggest that their visual surface colors divide the population into two distinctive groups, those with reddish slopes of the visual reflection spectra and those with neutral spectra. Moreover, some of them are known to posses comas produced by cometary activity. Aims. We aim to investigate possible links between the orbital dynamical history and the surface physical properties of the bodies of this population. Methods. By means of numerical integrations of the equations of motion we calculated the orbital evolution of three groups of Centaurs: the Red group, the Gray group, and the Active group. We looked for statistical differences in the timescales spent by the objects of each group at heliocentric distances below certain values that are associated with locations where certain particular physical processes occur at the surfaces. Results. We find remarkable differences when we compare the fraction of objects that penetrate below typical heliocentric distances for each group. Conclusions. Our results suggest that the observed bimodality in the distribution of surface colors of the Centaurs is caused by the different thermal reprocessing on the surface of bodies of the Red group on one side and the Active and Gray groups on the other. Centaurs of the Gray group likely had cometary activity, therefore their color distribution is similar to that of comet nuclei. © 2012 ESO. Fil:Melita, M.D. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. 2012 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion application/pdf eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00046361_v539_n_p_Melita
institution Universidad de Buenos Aires
institution_str I-28
repository_str R-134
collection Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA)
language Inglés
orig_language_str_mv eng
topic asteroids: general
Kuiper belt: general
minor planets
Color distribution
Cometary activity
Dynamical evolution
Heliocentric distances
Kuiper belt: generals
Minor bodies
Minor planets
Numerical integrations
Orbital evolutions
Physical process
Reflection spectra
Short periods
Statistical differences
Surface colors
Time-scales
Trans-neptunian objects
Asteroids
Color
Equations of motion
Solar system
Surface properties
Population statistics
spellingShingle asteroids: general
Kuiper belt: general
minor planets
Color distribution
Cometary activity
Dynamical evolution
Heliocentric distances
Kuiper belt: generals
Minor bodies
Minor planets
Numerical integrations
Orbital evolutions
Physical process
Reflection spectra
Short periods
Statistical differences
Surface colors
Time-scales
Trans-neptunian objects
Asteroids
Color
Equations of motion
Solar system
Surface properties
Population statistics
Melita, M.D.
Licandro, J.
Links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the centaurs
topic_facet asteroids: general
Kuiper belt: general
minor planets
Color distribution
Cometary activity
Dynamical evolution
Heliocentric distances
Kuiper belt: generals
Minor bodies
Minor planets
Numerical integrations
Orbital evolutions
Physical process
Reflection spectra
Short periods
Statistical differences
Surface colors
Time-scales
Trans-neptunian objects
Asteroids
Color
Equations of motion
Solar system
Surface properties
Population statistics
description The Centaurs are a transitional population of minor bodies of the solar system and the evolutionary link between the trans-Neptunian objects and the short period comets. The surface properties of these objects are very peculiar, because currently available data suggest that their visual surface colors divide the population into two distinctive groups, those with reddish slopes of the visual reflection spectra and those with neutral spectra. Moreover, some of them are known to posses comas produced by cometary activity. Aims. We aim to investigate possible links between the orbital dynamical history and the surface physical properties of the bodies of this population. Methods. By means of numerical integrations of the equations of motion we calculated the orbital evolution of three groups of Centaurs: the Red group, the Gray group, and the Active group. We looked for statistical differences in the timescales spent by the objects of each group at heliocentric distances below certain values that are associated with locations where certain particular physical processes occur at the surfaces. Results. We find remarkable differences when we compare the fraction of objects that penetrate below typical heliocentric distances for each group. Conclusions. Our results suggest that the observed bimodality in the distribution of surface colors of the Centaurs is caused by the different thermal reprocessing on the surface of bodies of the Red group on one side and the Active and Gray groups on the other. Centaurs of the Gray group likely had cometary activity, therefore their color distribution is similar to that of comet nuclei. © 2012 ESO.
format Artículo
Artículo
publishedVersion
author Melita, M.D.
Licandro, J.
author_facet Melita, M.D.
Licandro, J.
author_sort Melita, M.D.
title Links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the centaurs
title_short Links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the centaurs
title_full Links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the centaurs
title_fullStr Links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the centaurs
title_full_unstemmed Links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the centaurs
title_sort links between the dynamical evolution and the surface color of the centaurs
publishDate 2012
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00046361_v539_n_p_Melita
work_keys_str_mv AT melitamd linksbetweenthedynamicalevolutionandthesurfacecolorofthecentaurs
AT licandroj linksbetweenthedynamicalevolutionandthesurfacecolorofthecentaurs
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