Images of Asteroid 21 Lutetia: A Remnant Planetesimal from the Early Solar System
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Sierks_2011_open_access.pdf
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1.32 MB
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Author(s)
Weiss, Benjamin P.
Date Issued
April 2011
Journal
Science
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Citation
Sierks, H. et al. “Images of Asteroid 21 Lutetia: A Remnant Planetesimal from the Early Solar System.” Science 334.6055 (2011): 487–490.
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
Images obtained by the Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) cameras onboard the Rosetta spacecraft reveal that asteroid 21 Lutetia has a complex geology and one of the highest asteroid densities measured so far, 3.4 ± 0.3 grams per cubic centimeter. The north pole region is covered by a thick layer of regolith, which is seen to flow in major landslides associated with albedo variation. Its geologically complex surface, ancient surface age, and high density suggest that Lutetia is most likely a primordial planetesimal. This contrasts with smaller asteroids visited by previous spacecraft, which are probably shattered bodies, fragments of larger parents, or reaccumulated rubble piles.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1207325
