P-type asteroid

P-type asteroids have low albedo and a featureless reddish electromagnetic spectrum. It has been suggested that they have a composition of organic rich silicates, carbon and anhydrous silicates, possibly with water ice in their interior. P-type asteroids are found in the outer asteroid belt and beyond.

Taxonomy

An early system of asteroid taxonomy was established in 1975 from the doctoral thesis work of David J. Tholen. This was based upon observations of a group of 110 asteroids. The U-type classification was used as a miscellaneous class for asteroids with unusual spectra that didn't fit into the C and S-type asteroid classifications. In 1976, some of these U-type asteroids with unusual moderate albedo levels were labeled as M-type.^[1]

Around 1981, an offshoot of the M-type asteroid branch appeared for minor planets that had a spectra that was indistinguishable from M-type, but they also had low albedo that did not lie within the M-type criteria. These were initially labeled X-type asteroids, then type DM (dark M) or PM (pseudo-M), before acquiring their own unique classification as P-type asteroids (where the P indicates "pseudo-M").^[1]

Properties

The P-type asteroids are some of the darkest objects in the Solar System with very low albedos (pv<0.1) and appear to be organic-rich, similar to carbonaceous chondrites. Their colors are somewhat redder than S-type asteroids and they do not show spectral features. The red coloration may be caused by organic compounds related to kerogen.^[2][3] The reflectance spectra of P-type asteroids can be reproduced through a combination of 31% CI and 49% CM groups of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, plus 20% Tagish lake meteorites, after undergoing thermal metamorphism and space weathering.^[4]

The outer part of the main asteroid belt beyond 2.6 AU from the Sun is dominated by low-albedo C, D and P-type asteroids. These are primitive asteroids that may have had their materials chemically altered by liquid water.^[5] The distribution of P-type asteroids peaks at an orbital distance of 4 AU.^[6] Asteroids classified as P-type include 46 Hestia, 65 Cybele, 76 Freia, 87 Sylvia, 153 Hilda and 476 Hedwig.^[4][7]

See also

• Asteroid spectral types

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Tholen, D. J.; Bell, J. F. (March 1987). "Evolution of Asteroid Taxonomy". Proceedings, 18th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Houston, Texas. pp. 1008–1009. Bibcode 1987LPI....18.1008T. 
2. ^ De Pater, Imke; Lissauer, Jack Jonathan (2001). Planetary Sciences. Cambridge University Press. p. 353. ISBN 0521482194. 
3. ^ Ehrenfreund, Pascale (2004). International Space Science Institute. ed. Astrobiology: Future Perspectives. Springer Science & Business. p. 159. ISBN 1402023049. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Hiroi, T.; et al. (March 15–19, 2004). "What are the P-type Asteroids Made Of?". Proceedings, 35th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. League City, Texas. Bibcode 2004LPI....35.1616H. 
5. ^ Lazzarin, M.; Barbieri, C.; Barucci, M. A. (December 1995). "Visible Spectroscopy of Dark, Primitive Asteroids". Astronomical Journal 110: 3058. Bibcode 1995AJ....110.3058L. doi:10.1086/117747. 
6. ^ McSween, Harry Y. (1999). Meteorites and their parent planets (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 101. ISBN 0521587514. 
7. ^ Ziffer, J.; Campins, H.; Licandro, J.; Fernandez, Y. R.; Bus, S. (August 2005). "Near-infrared Spectra of Two Asteroids with Low Tisserand Invariant". Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society 37: 644. Bibcode 2005DPS....37.1529Z.