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Palomar Spectroscopy of Near-Earth Asteroids 2004 SV55, 2000 SP43, 3988 (1986 LA), 1036 Ganymed, and 2002 AG29.

ATel #3678; M Hicks (JPL/CalTech), C. Gerhart (LAVC), C. Strojia (VVC), S. Teague (VVC)
on 11 Oct 2011; 21:00 UT
Credential Certification: Michael D. Hicks (Michael.Hicks@jpl.nasa.gov)

Subjects: Optical, Asteroid, Solar System Object, Near-Earth Object, Potentially Hazardous Asteroid

We obtained long-slit CCD spectrograms of the near-Earth asteroids 2004 SV55, 2000 SP43, 3988 (1986 LA), 1036 Ganymed, and 2002 AG29 using the Palomar 5-m Hale Telescope equipped with the facility dual-channel spectrometer on October 04 2011. Several of our objects (2004 SV55, 2000 SP43, 1036 Ganymed, 2002 AG29) have been scheduled for observation at thermal wavelengths at the IRTF and for radar observation at the Arcibo/Goldstone Facilities. 2000 SP43 and 1986 LA have been designated as Potentially Hazardous Asteroids by the Minor Planets Center, although they currently pose no significant impact threat.

Table 1 summarizes our observational circumstances, using the orbital elements and absolute magnitude H_V maintained by the JPL HORIZONS database. Table 2 lists the solar analog stars used to generate the composite normalized reflectance spectra shown in Figures 1-5 [1][2][3][4][5]. All observations were obtained through variable cirrus.

A comparison of our optical spectra with the 1341 asteroid spectra archived in the SMASS II database (Bus & Binzel 2002) was used to determine taxonomy. Table 3 list the four best-fit SMASS II analogs for each object. We identify 2004 SV55, 2000 SP43, 3988 (1986 LA), 1036 Ganymed, and 2002 AG29 as Xe, Sr, Sl, S, and S-type asteroids, respectively. Both 1986 LA and 2002 AG29 remain well-placed for lightcurve study from the northern hemisphere through November 2011 and collaborative observations with other researchers would be very welcomed.

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. The research described in this telegram was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The student participation was supported by the National Science Foundation under REU grant 0852088 to Cal State LA.

 
Table 1:  Observational Circumstances. 
 
Object Name   r (AU)  delta (AU)  phase (deg)  H (mag)  V (mag)  Exp Time (min) 
2004 SV55     1.085     0.314        66.1       17.9     17.9       40.0 
2000 SP43     1.121     0.148        33.4       18.5     16.0       50.0 
1986 LA       1.192     0.244        34.4       18.2     17.0       35.0 
1036 Ganymed  1.293     0.369        33.3        9.5      9.0        0.5 
2002 AG29     1.157     0.200        35.1       18.2     16.5       15.0 
 
 
Table 2:  Solar Analog Stars. 
Object Name   Solar Analog Stars 
2004 SV55     16 Cyg B 
2000 SP43     113-276, 92-276 
1986 LA       113-276 
1036 Ganymed  113-276 
2002 AG29     113-276, 92-276 
 
 
Table 3:  Best-fit SMASS II spectral analogs. 
 
                           TAXONOMIC CLASS 
MISFIT  OBJECT NAME         (THOLEN) (BUS) 
 
    - for 2004 SV55 - 
1.677    64 Angelina           E       Xe 
1.701   135 Hertha             M       Xk 
1.716   559 Nanon              C       Xk 
1.720    71 Niobe              S       Xe 
 
    - for 2000 SP43 - 
0.726  5051 Ralph                      Sr 
0.735  7564 1988 CA                    S 
0.748  3792 Preston           (S)      S 
0.780   862 Franzia                    S 
 
    - for 1986 LA - 
1.042   897 Lysistrata         S       Sl 
1.146 10504 Doga                       Sl 
1.147  3349 Manas                      L 
1.168  4718 Araki                      Sl 
 
    - for 1036 Ganymed - 
0.350   174 Phaedra            S       S 
0.353  5732 1988 WC                    S 
0.362  5685 Sanenobufukui              S 
0.407   384 Burdigala          S       S 
 
    - for 2002 AG29 - 
1.344  4479 Charlieparker              S 
1.387  4299 WIYN                       S 
1.389  2167 Erin                       S 
1.420  6192 1990 KB1                   S