Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Di Martino, M..
An effort is made to derive from Galileo's 1991 encounter of the S-type asteroid 951 Gaspra general lessons that will be applicable to prospective earth-based observations of other asteroids. Attention is accordingly given to the derivation of spin-vector and shape parameters en route to more detailed physical characterization of a given asteroid. A future encounter of Gaspra by Galileo will be required to verify the present model.
This paper reports the results obtained in an international campaign devoted to the observations of the asteroid 8 Flora, a possible target of the Vesta mission. Using the lightcurves obtained during three oppositions (1980, 1983, 1984), a synodic rotational period of 12.87 hours was determined. This period, applied to the lightcurves of 8 Flora already published, satisfactorily explains these observations. Applying the AM-method described by Zappala et al. (1983), the pole position was calculated. The slope parameter G, determined during the 1969 and 1983 apparitions, differs by about 0.10. Considering that in those years the ecliptic longitudes of the asteroid were about 115 degrees apart, this fact probably indicates the presence of variations in the structure and chemical compositions of the surface.
The existing data on shattering impacts are reviewed using natural silicate, ice, and cement-mortar targets. A comprehensive data base containing the most important parameters describing these experiments was prepared. The collisional energy needed to shatter consolidated homogeneous targets and the ensuing fragment size distributions have been well studied experimentally. However, major gaps exist in the data on fragment velocity and rotational distributions, as well as collisional energy partitioning for these targets. Current scaling laws lead to predicted outcomes of asteroid collisions that are inconsistent with interpretations of astronomical data.
Photometric observations of the asteroid 37 Fides carried out at four observatories are reported. The data were taken at phase angles ranging from approximately 2-23 deg. A composite of the light curves obtained revealed that, considering a period of 7.33 hr, the full cycle light curve exhibits one maximum and one minimum. An increase in brightness was observed following a primary minimum, a factor that indicated the cyclical appearance and disappearance of a large topographical feature. It is concluded that the 7.33 hr period is the rotational speed of the asteroid, in contrast with a previously held 14.66 hr rotational period. The method is concluded useful for identifying rotational periods of asteroids when only partial light curve data from different sources is available, and when the projections can be checked observationally.