Thermophysical Modeling and Parameter Estimation for 3375 Asteroids

Thermophysical modeling has emerged as a powerful tool for investigating the physical properties of asteroids. In this study, we applied thermophysical models (TPMs) to a dataset of 3375 asteroids, with half of these objects being modeled for the first time. By combining optical and infrared observations with advanced numerical techniques, we aimed to refine the physical parameters of these asteroids and explore potential correlations between their thermal inertia, albedo, and other characteristics.

To address the complexities of asteroid thermophysical models, we employed the convex inversion thermophysical model (CITPM) to simultaneously optimize all relevant physical parameters of the asteroids, taking into account uncertainties in the shape models and rotation states [1]. Furthermore, we tackled the challenges posed by the extensive observational data by incorporating dense optical light curves, sparse light curves from various surveys, and thermal infrared data from WISE, AKARI, and IRAS. By integrating shape models derived from light curve inversion with multi-wavelength observational data, we aimed to provide a more comprehensive characterization of the thermal properties of these asteroids.

Our methodology involved the use of the bootstrap method to optimize the observational data and the implementation of various input conditions for crater aperture and coverage on each asteroid's surface [2]. We explored the solutions under 81 different asteroid surface roughness input conditions to ensure the robustness of our results. The plausible range of physical parameter solutions was determined by evaluating the chi-squared values of the asteroid light curve fits.

While the TPM method may not provide highly precise physical parameters, it offers a relatively efficient means to obtain reasonable estimates of these values. This comprehensive analysis not only expands our understanding of the thermophysical properties of a large number of asteroids but also lays the foundation for investigating correlations between these properties and various asteroid characteristics [3].

The derived parameters were then analyzed to explore correlations with asteroid taxonomic classes, orbital properties, and other relevant characteristics. This extensive thermophysical modeling significantly expands our knowledge of asteroid physical properties and provides valuable insights into the processes that shaped our cosmic neighborhood.

 

References:

[1] Ďurech, J. et al. (2017). A&A. 604, A27.

[2] Ďurech, J. and Tan, H. (2023). TherMoPS4.

[3] Hanuš, J. et al. (2018). Icar. 309, 297-337.