Asteroid sizes determined with thermophysical model and stellar occultations

Context . The sizes of many asteroids, especially slowly rotating, low-amplitude targets, remain poorly constrained due to selection effects. These biases limit the availability of high-quality data, leaving size estimates reliant on spherical shape assumptions. Such approximations introduce significant uncertainties propagating, for example, into density determinations or thermophysical and compositional studies, affecting our understanding of asteroid properties. Aims . This work targets poorly studied main-belt asteroids, for most of which no shape models were previously available. Using only high-quality, dense light curves, thermal infrared observations (systematically including WISE data), and stellar occultations, we aimed to produce reliable shape models and scale them using two independent techniques, allowing for size comparison at the end. We conducted two observing campaigns to achieve this: one to obtain dense photometric light curves and another to acquire multi-chord stellar occultations by these objects. Methods . Shape and spin models were reconstructed using light curve inversion techniques. Sizes were determined via two methods: (1) advanced thermophysical modelling using the convex inversion thermophysical model (CITPM), which optimises spin and shape models to light curve data in the visible range together with infrared data, and (2) scaling the shape models with stellar occultations. Results . We obtained precise sizes and shape models for 15 asteroids. CITPM and occultation-derived sizes agree within 5% for most cases, demonstrating the reliability of the modelling approach. Larger discrepancies are usually linked to incomplete occultation chord coverage. The study also provides insights into surface properties, including albedo, surface roughness and thermal inertia. Conclusions . The use of high-quality data, coupled with an advanced TPM that uses both thermal and visible data while allowing the shape model to be adjusted according to both types of data, enabled us to determine sizes with precision comparable to those derived from multichord stellar occultations. We resolved substantial inconsistencies in previous size determinations for target asteroids, providing good input for future studies on asteroid densities and surface properties.

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Publication Details

Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Published
2025-05-09
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202554476
Primary Topic
Astro and Planetary Science
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Asteroid sizes determined with thermophysical model and stellar occultations

Filipe Monteiro, S. Andersson, B. Kattentidt, P. Zelený et al.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astro and Planetary Science
article

Asteroid sizes determined with thermophysical model and stellar occultations

Filipe Monteiro, S. Andersson, B. Kattentidt, P. Zelený, Alejandro La Manna, A. Marciniak, P. Baruffetti, K. Sobkowiak, Jakub Nadolny, Young‐Jun Choi, M. K. Kamińska, N. Morales, T. Haymes, Magdalena Szkudlarek, M. Ferrais, Josef Ďurech, Murat Kaplan, Bernadett Ignácz, M. Dogramatzidis, S. Cikota, B. Gimple, M. Maestripieri, P. Denyer, R. Boninsegna, M. Dróżdż, W. Hasubick, A. Ossola, P. Nosworthy, M.G. O’Connell, P. Delinčák, E. Jehin, L. Grazzini, S. Sposetti, B. Cseh, K. Sárneczky, P. Kankiewicz, R. Hirsch, Dagmara Oszkiewicz, R. H. Jones, G. Csörnyei, Huub J. M. de Groot, M. Zawilski, J. Licandro, William Stewart, D. Herald, W. Beisker, W. Hanna, T. Santana-Ros, L. Molnár, H. Yamamura, N. Wünsche, Csilla Kalup, Nóra Takács, K. Żukowski, P. Lindner, Łukasz Tychoniec, D.-H. Kim, M. Rottenborn, F. Casarramona, M. Pawłowski, P. Kulczak, M. Żejmo, Myeong‐Jin Kim, J. Newman, Adam Popowicz, S. Messner, M. Fauvaud, Elisabeta Petrescu, Mariusz Filipek, C. Weber, J. Oey, Craig Anderson, Greg Lyzenga, D. Agnetti, F. Pilcher, Chad K. Ellington, Hiroshi Yoshihara, N. Ruocco, R. Duffárd, Э. Сонбас, M. Kretlow, M. Polińska, D. Dunham, Theodore J. Swift, Plícida Arcoverde, Yuhua Liu, Mateusz Borkowski, Rodrigo Leiva, Adrian Jones, W. Ogłoza, Zs. Bora, Takao Nemoto, B. Gährken, E. Bredner, Patrick Maley, J.-J. Rives, V. Perig, J. Horbowicz, M. Bertini, Stefan Geier, E. Podlewska-Gaca, Ágoston Horti-Dávid, K. Vida, R. Bacci, David Arellano Gault, P. Bacci, B. A. Skiff, K. Szyszka, Norman Carlson, G. Galli, M. Murawiecka, G. Krannich, Artur Rutkowski, S. Fauvaud, K. Guhl, V. Kudak, R. Dequinze, R. Liu, Seitaro Urakawa, Antoine Choukroun, C. Malagon, Jacek J. Skrzypek, J. Golonka, M. Harman, Tom Polakis, Paolo Fini, E. Pakštienė, V. Reddy, J. Grice, G. Casalnuovo, V. Sempronio, Róbert Szakáts, I. Konstanciak, C. Stewart, Olga Michniewicz, Julia Perła, J. Kubánek, D. Eisfeldt, O. Schreurs, M. Lecossois, S. Kidd, Ashok Kumar Pal, David Higgins, Denise A. Smith, M. Collins, V. Nikitin, I. Mieczkowska, L. Benedyktowicz, D. Błażewicz, K. Kamínski, Masato Mizutani, Peter Nosal, M. Uno, J. Broughton, S. Zoła, M. Bąk, J. Polák, Mohamed Amine Miftah, A. M. Ortiz-Ochoa, M. Poláček, K. Saci, D. Antuszewicz, R.-L. Aubry, M. Eleftheriou, M. Frits, A. Karagiannidis, B. Kirpluk, M. Libert
article en

Abstract

Context . The sizes of many asteroids, especially slowly rotating, low-amplitude targets, remain poorly constrained due to selection effects. These biases limit the availability of high-quality data, leaving size estimates reliant on spherical shape assumptions. Such approximations introduce significant uncertainties propagating, for example, into density determinations or thermophysical and compositional studies, affecting our understanding of asteroid properties. Aims . This work targets poorly studied main-belt asteroids, for most of which no shape models were previously available. Using only high-quality, dense light curves, thermal infrared observations (systematically including WISE data), and stellar occultations, we aimed to produce reliable shape models and scale them using two independent techniques, allowing for size comparison at the end. We conducted two observing campaigns to achieve this: one to obtain dense photometric light curves and another to acquire multi-chord stellar occultations by these objects. Methods . Shape and spin models were reconstructed using light curve inversion techniques. Sizes were determined via two methods: (1) advanced thermophysical modelling using the convex inversion thermophysical model (CITPM), which optimises spin and shape models to light curve data in the visible range together with infrared data, and (2) scaling the shape models with stellar occultations. Results . We obtained precise sizes and shape models for 15 asteroids. CITPM and occultation-derived sizes agree within 5% for most cases, demonstrating the reliability of the modelling approach. Larger discrepancies are usually linked to incomplete occultation chord coverage. The study also provides insights into surface properties, including albedo, surface roughness and thermal inertia. Conclusions . The use of high-quality data, coupled with an advanced TPM that uses both thermal and visible data while allowing the shape model to be adjusted according to both types of data, enabled us to determine sizes with precision comparable to those derived from multichord stellar occultations. We resolved substantial inconsistencies in previous size determinations for target asteroids, providing good input for future studies on asteroid densities and surface properties.

Astronomy and AstrophysicsVol. 698
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, California Institute of Technology, Space Telescope Science Institute, University of Warwick, European Commission, Queen's University Belfast, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS, Queen's University, Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, Narodowym Centrum Nauki, Keele University, Université de Liège, Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika w Toruniu, Nemzeti Kutatási Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal, Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej, Université Cadi Ayyad, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, University of California, Los Angeles, Science Mission Directorate, Science and Technology Facilities Council, National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Integrated Electronics Engineering Center, Binghamton University
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