Asteroid taxonomy

Asteroid taxonomy based on spectra (Tholen and Barucci,... 

As already noted, spectral similarities between the various asteroid classes and specific types of meteorites provide a way to identify possible meteorite parent bodies. The Tholen and Barucci (1989) asteroid taxonomy has been interpreted as representing the types of meteorites shown in Table 11.1. Using the Bus et al. (2002) taxonomy, the C-complex asteroids are probably hydrated carbonaceous chondrites (e.g. Cl or CM). These carbonaceous chondrite asteroids probably accreted with ices and will be considered in Chapter 12. Some S-complex asteroids are ordinary chondrite parent bodies, but this superclass is very diverse and includes many other meteorite types as well. The X-complex includes objects with spectra that resemble enstatite chondrites and aubrites, and some irons and stony irons, although other X-complex asteroids are unlike known meteorite types. A few asteroid spectra are unique and provide more definitive connections, such as between 4 Vesta and... 

Heliocentric distribution of asteroid spectral types in the main belt, (a) (modified from Gradie and Tedesco, 1982) and (b) (modified from Mothe-Diniz et al., 2003) show distributions using two different asteroid taxonomies, explained in the text. Petrologic interpretations of the various spectral classes are shown in (a). 

Tholen, D. J. (1984) Asteroid Taxonomy from Cluster Analysis of Photometry. Ph.D. thesis, University of Arizona, Tucson. 

Source Adapted from John S. Lewis. Physics and Chemistry of the Solar System, Revised Edition. San Diego Academic Press, 1997, Table VI11.4, page 361. This taxonomy was originally suggested by Edward Tedesco and his colleagues at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, based on data collected from the IRAS [Infrared Astronomical Satellite] Minor Planet Survey ("AThree-Parameter Asteroid Taxonomy," The Astronomical Journal 97, 580). 

Bottke, W. F., Cellino, A., Paolicchi, P. and Binzel, R. P., eds. (2002) Asteroids III, Tucson University of Arizona Press, 785 pp. A wonderful, up-to-date resource on asteroids. The following chapters provide summaries of geology, taxonomy, and spectral interpretation, respectively ... 

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