Dependence of Lightcurves on Phase Angle and Asteroid Shape. (arXiv:1910.04923v1 [astro-ph.EP])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Lu_X/0/1/0/all/0/1">Xiao-Ping Lu</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Jewitt_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">David Jewitt</a>
We investigate the phase angle dependence of asteroid lightcurves using
numerical scattering models applied to simple body shapes. For simplicity, the
Kaasalainen scattering parameters are obtained from the corresponding Hapke
scattering laws for C-type, S-type, and V-type asteroids. The spectral types
differ substantially in the role of multiple scattering (which is largely a
function of their geometric albedos) but we find that the differences on the
light curve vs.~phase relations are modest. By using a Kaasalainen scattering
law, the amplitudes and axis ratios with respect to different phase angles from
$0^circ$ to $140^circ$ are plotted for these types asteroids based on a
biaxial ellipsoid shape model. Additionally, we examine the relationship
between amplitude and axis ratio for a contact binary represented by identical
biaxial ellipsoids, including the effects of shadowing of one component by the
other. We compare the models with published high phase angle observations, and
with interstellar object 1I/`Oumuamua ($Delta m = 2.5$ magnitude at phase
angle $alpha = 23^circ$), finding axis ratio $5.2:1$ if represented as a
single ellipsoid and $3.5:1$ for each component if represented as a
nose-to-nose contact binary. While a detailed fit is not attempted, the
comparison shows that the single ellipsoid model is better.
We investigate the phase angle dependence of asteroid lightcurves using
numerical scattering models applied to simple body shapes. For simplicity, the
Kaasalainen scattering parameters are obtained from the corresponding Hapke
scattering laws for C-type, S-type, and V-type asteroids. The spectral types
differ substantially in the role of multiple scattering (which is largely a
function of their geometric albedos) but we find that the differences on the
light curve vs.~phase relations are modest. By using a Kaasalainen scattering
law, the amplitudes and axis ratios with respect to different phase angles from
$0^circ$ to $140^circ$ are plotted for these types asteroids based on a
biaxial ellipsoid shape model. Additionally, we examine the relationship
between amplitude and axis ratio for a contact binary represented by identical
biaxial ellipsoids, including the effects of shadowing of one component by the
other. We compare the models with published high phase angle observations, and
with interstellar object 1I/`Oumuamua ($Delta m = 2.5$ magnitude at phase
angle $alpha = 23^circ$), finding axis ratio $5.2:1$ if represented as a
single ellipsoid and $3.5:1$ for each component if represented as a
nose-to-nose contact binary. While a detailed fit is not attempted, the
comparison shows that the single ellipsoid model is better.
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