SHERMAN, a shape-based thermophysical model. I. Model description and validation

Christopher Magri, Ellen S. Howell, Ronald J. Vervack, Michael C. Nolan, Yanga R. Fernández, Sean E. Marshall, Jenna L. Crowell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

SHERMAN, a new thermophysical modeling package designed for analyzing near-infrared spectra of asteroids and other solid bodies, is presented. The model's features, the methods it uses to solve for surface and subsurface temperatures, and the synthetic data it outputs are described. A set of validation tests demonstrates that SHERMAN produces accurate output in a variety of special cases for which correct results can be derived from theory. These cases include a family of solutions to the heat equation for which thermal inertia can have any value and thermophysical properties can vary with depth and with temperature. An appendix describes a new approximation method for estimating surface temperatures within spherical-section craters, more suitable for modeling infrared beaming at short wavelengths than the standard method.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)203-219
Number of pages17
JournalIcarus
Volume303
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 15 2018

Keywords

  • Asteroids, surfaces
  • Infrared observations
  • Spectroscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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