The violent collisional history of aqueously evolved (2) Pallas
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11320%2F20%3A10423524" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11320/20:10423524 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=F1YNtQRFYD" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=F1YNtQRFYD</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41550-019-1007-5" target="_blank" >10.1038/s41550-019-1007-5</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
The violent collisional history of aqueously evolved (2) Pallas
Original language description
High-resolution observations of the third largest asteroid, (2) Pallas, from SPHERE unveil a heavily cratered surface, probably due to Pallas's inclined and eccentric orbit, a density almost equal to carbonaceous chondrites and hint at surficial salt-enriched spots. Asteroid (2) Pallas is the largest main-belt object not yet visited by a spacecraft, making its surface geology largely unknown and limiting our understanding of its origin and collisional evolution. Previous ground-based observational campaigns returned different estimates of its bulk density that are inconsistent with one another, one measurement(1) being compatible within error bars with the icy Ceres (2.16 +/- 0.01 g cm(-3))(2) and the other(3) compatible within error bars with the rocky Vesta (3.46 +/- 0.03 g cm(-3))(4). Here we report high-angular-resolution observations of Pallas performed with the extreme adaptive optics-fed SPHERE imager(5) on the Very Large Telescope. Pallas records a violent collisional history, with numerous craters larger than 30 km in diameter populating its surface and two large impact basins that could be related to a family-forming impact. Monte Carlo simulations of the collisional evolution of the main belt correlate this cratering record to the high average impact velocity of similar to 11.5 km s(-1) on Pallas-compared with an average of similar to 5.8 km s(-1) for the asteroid belt-induced by Pallas's high orbital inclination (i = 34.8 degrees) and orbital eccentricity (e = 0.23). Compositionally, Pallas's derived bulk density of 2.89 +/- 0.08 g cm(-3) (1 sigma uncertainty) is fully compatible with a CM chondrite-like body, as suggested by its spectral reflectance in the 3 mu m wavelength region(6). A bright spot observed on its surface may indicate an enrichment in salts during an early phase of aqueous alteration, compatible with Pallas's relatively high albedo of 12-17% (refs. (7,8)), although alternative origins are conceivable.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10308 - Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science)
Result continuities
Project
Result was created during the realization of more than one project. More information in the Projects tab.
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)
Others
Publication year
2020
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Nature Astronomy [online]
ISSN
2397-3366
e-ISSN
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Volume of the periodical
4
Issue of the periodical within the volume
6
Country of publishing house
GB - UNITED KINGDOM
Number of pages
8
Pages from-to
569-576
UT code for WoS article
000512527500002
EID of the result in the Scopus database
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