Physical parameters of asteroids estimated from the wise 3-band data and neowise post-cryogenic survey

A. Mainzer, T. Grav, J. Masiero, J. Bauer, R. M. Cutri, R. S. McMillan, C. R. Nugent, D. Tholen, R. Walker, E. L. Wright

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Scopus citations

Abstract

Enhancements to the science data processing pipeline of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission, collectively known as NEOWISE, resulted in the detection of >158,000 minor planets in four infrared wavelengths during the fully cryogenic portion of the mission. Following the depletion of its cryogen, NASA's Planetary Science Directorate funded a four-month extension to complete the survey of the inner edge of the Main Asteroid Belt and to detect and discover near-Earth objects (NEOs). This extended survey phase, known as the NEOWISE Post-Cryogenic Survey, resulted in the detection of 6500 large Main Belt asteroids and 86 NEOs in its 3.4 and 4.6 μm channels. During the Post-Cryogenic Survey, NEOWISE discovered and detected a number of asteroids co-orbital with the Earth and Mars, including the first known Earth Trojan. We present preliminary thermal fits for these and other NEOs detected during the 3-Band Cryogenic and Post-Cryogenic Surveys.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numberL12
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume760
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 20 2012

Keywords

  • atlases
  • catalogs
  • minor planets, asteroids: general
  • surveys

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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