Asteroid spectroscopy - Progress and perspectives

Abstract

A broad understanding of meteorite and asteroidal studies is needed for the most dynamic progress of both disciplines, in their common goal of understanding the origin and early evolution of the solar system. Asteroid compositional investigations are currently shifting from the survey mode to focused investigations of selected targets, in pursuit of specific problems. Attention is presently given the compositional nature and diversity of asteroid taxonomic classes, as addressed by the Small Main-Belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey.