Properties of rubble-pile asteroid (101955) Bennu from OSIRIS-REx imaging and thermal analysis

Journal
Date Issued
2019
Author(s)
Dellagiustina, D. N.
•
Emery, J. P.
•
Golish, D. R.
•
Rozitis, B.
•
Bennett, C. A.
•
Burke, K. N.
•
Ballouz, R. -L.
•
Becker, K. J.
•
Christensen, P. R.
•
Drouet D'Aubigny, C. Y.
•
Hamilton, V. E.
•
Reuter, D. C.
•
Rizk, B.
•
Simon, A. A.
•
Asphaug, E.
•
Bandfield, J. L.
•
Barnouin, O. S.
•
Barucci, M. A.
•
Bierhaus, E. B.
•
Binzel, R. P.
•
Bottke, W. F.
•
Bowles, N. E.
•
Campins, H.
•
Clark, B. C.
•
Clark, B. E.
•
Connolly, H. C.
•
Daly, M. G.
•
Leon, J. De
•
Delbo', M.
•
Deshapriya, J. D. P.
•
Elder, C. M.
•
Fornasier, S.
•
Hergenrother, C. W.
•
Howell, E. S.
•
Jawin, E. R.
•
Kaplan, H. H.
•
Kareta, T. R.
•
Le Corre, L.
•
Li, J. -Y.
•
Licandro, J.
•
Lim, L. F.
•
Michel, P.
•
Molaro, J.
•
Nolan, M. C.
•
•
Popescu, M.
•
Garcia, J. L. Rizos
•
Ryan, A.
•
Schwartz, S. R.
•
Shultz, N.
•
Siegler, M. A.
•
Smith, P. H.
•
Tatsumi, E.
•
Thomas, C. A.
•
Walsh, K. J.
•
Wolner, C. W. V.
•
Zou, X. -D.
•
Lauretta, D. S.
•
•
Osiris-Rex Team
DOI
Abstract
Establishing the abundance and physical properties of regolith and boulders on asteroids is crucial for understanding the formation and degradation mechanisms at work on their surfaces. Using images and thermal data from NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft, we show that asteroid (101955) Bennu's surface is globally rough, dense with boulders, and low in albedo. The number of boulders is surprising given Bennu's moderate thermal inertia, suggesting that simple models linking thermal inertia to particle size do not adequately capture the complexity relating these properties. At the same time, we find evidence for a wide range of particle sizes with distinct albedo characteristics. Our findings imply that ages of Bennu's surface particles span from the disruption of the asteroid's parent body (boulders) to recent in situ production (micrometre-scale particles).
Volume
3
Start page
341
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
2397-3366
Ads BibCode
2019NatAs...3..341D
Rights
open.access
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