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Rock breakdown due to diurnal thermal cycling has been hypothesized to drive boulder degradation and regolith production on airless bodies. Numerous studies have invoked its importance in driving landscape evolution, yet morphological features produced by thermal fracture processes have never been definitively observed on an airless body, or any surface where other weathering mechanisms may be ruled out. The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission provides an opportunity to search for evidence of thermal breakdown and assess its significance on asteroid surfaces. Here we show boulder morphologies observed on Bennu that are consistent with terrestrial observations and models of fatigue-driven exfoliation and demonstrate how crack propagation via thermal stress can lead to their development. The rate and expression of this process will vary with asteroid composition and location, influencing how different bodies evolve and their apparent relative surface ages from space weathering and cratering records., In their study, the authors discuss the potential of thermal weathering on airless bodies. As a case study, they use boulder and fracture morphologies on asteroid Bennu.

Ryugu is a carbonaceous rubble-pile asteroid visited by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Small rubble pile asteroids record the thermal evolution of their much larger parent bodies. However, recent space weathering and/or solar heating create ambiguities between the uppermost layer observable by remote-sensing and the pristine material from the parent body. Hayabusa2 remote-sensing observations find that on the asteroid (162173) Ryugu both north and south pole regions preserve the material least processed by space weathering, which is spectrally blue carbonaceous chondritic material with a 0–3% deep 0.7-µm band absorption, indicative of Fe-bearing phyllosilicates. Here we report that spectrally blue Ryugu’s parent body experienced intensive aqueous alteration and subsequent thermal metamorphism at 570–670 K (300–400 °C), suggesting that Ryugu’s parent body was heated by radioactive decay of short-lived radionuclides possibly because of its early formation 2–2.5 Ma. The samples being brought to Earth by Hayabusa2 will give us our first insights into this epoch in solar system history., Both poles of asteroid Ryugu, the target of space mission Hayabusa2, preserve the least processed material by space weathering. Here, the authors show detection of 700 nm absorption band in the polar spectra of Ryugu, that allows to constrain the hydrothermal history of its spectrally blue parent body.

Using the multi-band imager MapCam onboard the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) spacecraft, we identified 77 instances of proposed exogenic materials distributed globally on the surface of the B-type asteroid (101955) Bennu. We identified materials as exogenic on the basis of an absorption near 1 um that is indicative of anhydrous silicates. The exogenic materials are spatially resolved by the telescopic camera PolyCam. All such materials are brighter than their surroundings, and they are expressed in a variety of morphologies: homogeneous, breccia-like, inclusion-like, and others. Inclusion-like features are the most common. Visible spectrophotometry was obtained for 46 of the 77 locations from MapCam images. Principal component analysis indicates at least two trends: (i) mixing of Bennu's average spectrum with a strong 1-um band absorption, possibly from pyroxene-rich material, and (ii) mixing with a weak 1-um band absorption. The endmember with a strong 1-um feature is consistent with Howardite-Eucrite-Diogenite (HED) meteorites, whereas the one showing a weak 1-um feature may be consistent with HEDs, ordinary chondrites, or carbonaceous chondrites. The variation in the few available near-infrared reflectance spectra strongly suggests varying compositions among the exogenic materials. Thus, Bennu might record the remnants of multiple impacts with different compositions to its parent body, which could have happened in the very early history of the Solar System. Moreover, at least one of the exogenic objects is compositionally different from the exogenic materials found on the similar asteroid (162173) Ryugu, and they suggest different impact tracks., 39 pages, 19 figures, accepted manuscript for MNRAS

Previous research on Asteroids (24) Themis and (65) Cybele have shown the presence of an absorption feature at 3.1 μm reported to be directly linked to surface water ice. We searched for water vapor escaping from these asteroids with the Herschel Space Observatory HIFI (Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared) Instrument. While no H2O line emission was detected, we obtained sensitive 3σ water production rate upper limits of Q(H2O)< 4.1×1026 molecules s−1 for Themis and Q(H2O) 26 molecules s−1 for the case of Cybele. Using a thermophysical model, we merged data from the Subaru/Cooled Mid-Infrared Camera and Spectrometer and the Herschel SPIRE (Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver) instrument with the contents of a multi-observatory database and thus derived new radiometric properties for these two asteroids. For Themis, we obtained a thermal inertia G = 20 +25-10 J m−2 s−1/2 K−1, a diameter 192 +10-7 km, and a geometric V-band albedo pV=0.07±0.01. For Cybele, we found a thermal inertia G = 25+28-19 J m−2 s−1/2 K−1, a diameter 282±9 km, and an albedo pV=0.042±0.005. Using all inputs, we estimated that water ice intimately mixed with the asteroids’ dark surface material would cover

The OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample-return mission is investigating primitive near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu. Thousands of images will be acquired by the MapCam instrument onboard the spacecraft, an imager with four color filters based on the Eight-Color Asteroid Survey (ECAS): $b$' (473 nm), $v$ (550 nm), $w$ (698 nm), and $x$ (847 nm). This set of filters will allow identification and characterization of the absorption band centered at 700 nm and associated with hydrated silicates. In this work, we present and validate a spectral clustering methodology for application to the upcoming MapCam images of the surface of Bennu. Our procedure starts with the projection, calibration, and photometric correction of the images. In a second step, we apply a K-means algorithm and we use the Elbow criterion to identify natural clusters. This methodology allows us to find distinct areas with spectral similarities, which are characterized by parameters such as the spectral slope $S$' and the center and depth of the 700-nm absorption band, if present. We validate this methodology using images of (1) Ceres from NASA's Dawn mission. In particular, we analyze the Occator crater and Ahuna Mons. We identify one spectral cluster--located in the outer parts of the Occator crater interior--showing the 700-nm hydration band centered at 698 $\pm$ 7 nm and with a depth of 3.4 $\pm$ 1.0 \%. We interpret this finding in the context of the crater's near-surface geology., Icarus Accepted Manuscript

Trojan asteroids (911) Agamemnon, (1172) Aneas, and (624) Hektor and primitive asteroid (944) Hidalgo share a common thermal infrared spectral feature: a prominent 10 μm plateau that is also present in cometary comae spectra. To fit these asteroid spectra, we modeled individual minerals using the light-scattering multiple sphere T-matrix (MSTM) and Hapke reflectance models. Modeled mineral spectra were then combined using a weighted least-squares (WLS) model that included a spectral library of varied particle sizes and porosities. We later refined our method by using the mineral abundances, particle sizes, and porosities computed by WLS as an input to rerun the MSTM and Hapke models. We were able to model the asteroid spectral features using a mixture of olivine components, fine particles, and lunar-like porosities. The Trojan asteroids and (944) Hidalgo are comparable in mineral composition and particle size to spectrally similar bodies such as comet Hale-Bopp and CO3 and CY chondrite meteorites. While the required porosities for modeling are like those present on the lunar surface, they are lower than those in the meteorites and higher than those in comets.

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft encountered the asteroid (101955) Bennu on December 3, 2018, and has since acquired extensive data from the payload of scientific instruments on board. In 2019, the OSIRIS-REx team selected primary and backup sample collection sites, called Nightingale and Osprey, respectively. On October 20, 2020, OSIRIS-REx successfully collected material from Nightingale. In this work, we apply an unsupervised machine learning classification through the K-Means algorithm to spectrophotometrically characterize the surface of Bennu, and in particular Nightingale and Osprey. We first analyze a global mosaic of Bennu, from which we find four clusters scattered across the surface, reduced to three when we normalize the images at 550 nm. The three spectral clusters are associated with boulders and show significant differences in spectral slope and UV value. We do not see evidence of latitudinal non-uniformity, which suggests that Bennu's surface is well-mixed. In our higher-resolution analysis of the primary and backup sample sites, we find three representative normalized clusters, confirming an inverse correlation between reflectance and spectral slope (the darkest areas being the reddest ones) and between b' normalized reflectance and slope. Nightingale and Osprey are redder than the global surface of Bennu by more than $1\sigma$ from average, consistent with previous findings, with Nightingale being the reddest ($S' = (- 0.3 \pm 1.0) \times 10^{- 3}$ percent per thousand angstroms). We see hints of a weak absorption band at 550 nm at the candidate sample sites and globally, which lends support to the proposed presence of magnetite on Bennu.

International audience; Many advancements in planetary science are achieved by seizing upon the opportunity created by rare natural events (e.g. comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 Jupiter impact; 1994) and by planned physical interactions (e.g. Deep Impact into comet Tempel 1; 2005). A forthcoming opportunity to seize upon a natural physical “experiment” occurs on April 13, 2029 with the unprecedentedly close Earth encounter by the large 340m asteroid (99942) Apophis. On that date, nature is performing the “experiment” of subjecting the physical body of Apophis to Earth’s tidal torques as it approaches to within 31,000 km of Earth’s surface, a distance that is closer than orbiting geosynchronous satellites.A potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) as large as Apophis encountering Earth this closely (within 0.1 lunar distances) is, on average, a once-per-thousand year event. (In context, Apophis is 7 times larger and 350 times more massive than the Tunguska 1908 impactor; 5000 times more massive than Chelyabinsk 2013.) Because of this event’s incredible rarity, knowledge gained through measurements and outcomes of the Apophis 2029 “natural experiment” are clearly a decadal, if not millennial, opportunity for planetary science. Most specifically, this knowledge opportunity is for the science supporting planetary defense. Further, on April 13, 2029 all of Earth will be watching: Apophis will be visible to the naked eye speeding across the evening sky for an estimated 2 billion people spanning western Europe and northern Africa.In this White Paper we outline our current best understanding, and uncertainties, for scientific advances in the physical study of potentially hazardous asteroids that may be achievable by measuring physical changes of Apophis’ spin, surface structure, and/or shape configuration inresponse to Earth’s tidal torques. If tidal torques themselves, or surface configuration changes induce any measurable seismic vibration signal inside Apophis, a new field of asteroid seismology has the potential to be born. Over six decades of planetary science, seismology has been achieved beyond Earth for only two planetary worlds: Moon and Mars.With this White Paper, we take no position on how to implement specific investigations capable of achieving the science advances offered by the Apophis 2029 opportunity. Instead we advocate that competitive selection of investigations, be they theoretical or observational (ground-based, space-based, or in situ), be executed under the direction of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, with a projected and perhaps necessarily augmented budget capable of supporting them. International collaboration is strongly encouraged.Thus, summarizing in four specific points, we urge the framers of the Decadal Survey to:• Recognize the decadal, if not millennial, opportunity for the science of planetary defense presented by the Apophis 2029 once-per-thousand-year “natural experiment.”• Prioritize as a top-level planetary defense science goal modeling and measuring the physical outcome on Apophis exerted by Earth’s tidal torques so as to achieve the greatest possible new insights into the physical nature, including the internal structure, of PHAs.• Recognize that time is of the essence for defining and implementing investigations of physical effects on Apophis, particularly if in situ measurements are to be considered. An Apophis 2029 Science Definition Team may be prescribed.• Recognize that the achievable knowledge of PHAs presented by the Apophis 2029 opportunity could have immeasurable benefits to the future of humanity, in the highly unlikely, but not impossible necessity to mitigate a future impact threat

Context.Asteroid families are witnesses to the intense collisional evolution that occurred on the asteroid belt. The study of the physical properties of family members can provide important information about the state of differentiation of the parent body and provide insights into how these objects were formed. Several of these asteroid families identified across the main belt are dominated by low-albedo, primitive asteroids. These objects are important for the study of Solar System formation because they were subject to weaker thermophysical processing and provide information about the early conditions of our planetary system.Aims.We aim to study the diversity of physical properties among the Themis, Hygiea, Ursula, Veritas, and Lixiaohua families.Methods.We present new spectroscopic data, combined with a comprehensive analysis using a variety of data available in the literature, such as albedo and rotational properties.Results.Our results show that Themis and Hygiea families, the largest families in the region, present similar levels of hydration. Ursula and Lixiaohua families are redder in comparison to the others and present no sign of hydrated members based on the analysis of visible spectra. Conversely, Veritas presents the highest fraction of hydrated members.Conclusions.This work demonstrates a diverse scenario in terms of the physical properties of primitive outer-belt families, which could be associated with dynamical mixing of asteroid populations and the level of differentiation of the parental body.

The complex history of Bennu's surface The near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu is a carbon-rich body with a rubble pile structure, formed from debris ejected by an impact on a larger parent asteroid. The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft is designed to collect a sample of Bennu's surface and return it to Earth. After arriving at Bennu, OSIRIS-REx performed a detailed survey of the asteroid and reconnaissance of potential sites for sample collection. Three papers present results from those mission phases. DellaGiustina et al. mapped the optical color and albedo of Bennu's surface and established how they relate to boulders and impact craters, finding complex evolution caused by space weathering processes. Simon et al. analyzed near-infrared spectra, finding evidence for organic and carbonate materials that are widely distributed across the surface but are most concentrated on individual boulders. Kaplan et al. examined more detailed data collected on the primary sample site, called Nightingale. They identified bright veins with a distinct infrared spectrum in some boulders, which they interpreted as being carbonates formed by aqueous alteration on the parent asteroid. Together, these results constrain Bennu's evolution and provide context for the sample collected in October 2020. Science , this issue p. eabc3660 , p. eabc3522 , p. eabc3557

International audience

Linear least squares unmixing of infrared spectra is a fast and effective way to spectrally estimate the modal mineral abundances of laboratory samples and remotely-sensed surfaces to within 5% on average [e.g., 1]. This technique has been applied to spectra of whole rocks, coarse particulates, meteorites, and the Martian surface to successfully determine modal abundances [e.g., 1-3]. With the recent arrival of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to asteroid 101955 Bennu, the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES) has been providing a wealth of data to interpret using spectral unmixing techniques [e.g., 4]. The assumption of linear spectral unmixing allows for the deconvolution of a mixed spectrum if the individual spectra and particle sizes of the pure end members are present within a spectral library. By implementing a weighted linear least squares (WLS) unmixing algorithm, one is able to deconvolve these mixed spectra into areal percentages of each endmember with the underlying assumption that this then corresponds to the volume percentages [e.g., 1-3]. At thermal infrared (TIR) wavelengths, end member spectra of coarse particulates combine linearly due to high absorption coefficients and relatively small mean optical paths, which limits most of the volumetric scattering [e.g., 1-3]. Linearity in the TIR region continues as particle size decreases until the wavelength of light approaches the particle size, at this point particles become optically thin and non-linear behavior (e.g., volumetric scattering) is observed. However, Ramsey and Christensen [1] demonstrated that when unmixing fine particulates (10 – 20 μm) with a spectral library of end members at the same particle size linear unmixing can still be used to estimate modal mineral abundances. In this study we investigate the effectiveness of a linear least squares unmixing approach to estimate mineral abundances for samples dominated by fine particulates (< 38 μm). We use a WLS algorithm and a spectral library of fine particulate pure minerals to unmix spectra of a suite of fine particulate, primitive asteroid analogs. Results from this investigation have implications for the interpretation of spectral observations of primitive asteroids that have a layer of fine particulate regolith. [1] Ramsey M. S. and Christensen P. R. (1998) JGR, 103, 577-596. [2] Hamilton V. E. and Christensen P. R. (2000) JGR, 105, 9717-9733. [3] Rogers A. D. and Aharonson O. (2008) JGR, 113,EO6S14. [4] Hamilton V. E. et al. (2019) Nature Astron., 3, 332-340.

Abstract: Thermally driven fracture processes, such as thermal fatigue, have been hypothesized to drive rock breakdown and regolith production on asteroid surfaces [e.g., 1-7]. Thermal cycling induces mechanical stresses in rocks that drive the propagation of microcracks, which may grow into larger-scale features. This can drive the development of morphological signatures such as surface fracturing and disaggregation, and through-going fractures that split boulders apart. The nature and rate of boulder breakdown is controlled by rock composition, as well as the rotation period and solar distance of the body, suggesting its signature varies widely across the diverse asteroid population. Understanding how the process operates is critical to characterizing their surface properties and evolution.Images from the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft of the surface of Bennu provide the opportunity to search for in situ evidence of thermal breakdown over a wide range of scales. Recent works by the authors [7-9] show observations of boulder morphologies consistent with terrestrial observations [e.g., 10] and models of fatigue-driven boulder exfoliation [e.g., 11], i.e., the flaking of thin layers or shells of material from boulder surfaces. Relating these observations to thermally induced stress fields in phyllosilicate boulders reveals that such features develop via the propagation of surface-parallel fractures during periods of day when boulder surfaces are heating. The magnitude of these stress fields ranges from ~0.3 to 3 MPa for boulders up to 6 m in diameter, which is comparable to the tensile strengths of terrestrial phyllosilicate rocks (e.g., serpentinite) and sufficient to drive subcritical crack growth (thermal fatigue). The thickness of resulting exfoliation layers predicted by the model ranges from ~1 mm to 10 cm, which is consistent with terrestrial observations of exfoliation cracks [10] and with the thicknesses of exfoliation layers observed on Bennu’s boulders [9].Further, we explore how boulder exfoliation may lead to the ejection of particles observed at Bennu’s surface [9] in an analogous manner to mobilization of rock fragments during large-scale, terrestrial dome exfoliation events [12]. We have observed particle ejection events from Bennu’s surface repeatedly since first entering orbit in January 2019. Observed particles range in size from Acknowledgements: This material is based upon work supported by NASA under Contract NNM10AA11C issued through the New Frontiers Program, and under Contract NNH17ZDA001N-ORPSP through the Participating Scientist Program. We are grateful to the entire OSIRIS-REx Team for their hard work in making the encounter with Bennu possible.References: [1] Molaro, J.L., et al., 2017. Icarus 294, 247-261. [2] El-Mir, C., et al., 2019. Icarus, 333, 356-370. [3] Hazeli, K., et al., 2018. Icarus, 304, 172-182. [4] Jewitt and Li, 2010. The Astronomical J., 140(5), p.1519. [5] Delbo, M. et al., 2014. Nature 508, 233–236. [6] Graves, K. J., et al., 2019. Icarus, 10.1016/j.icarus.2019.01.003. [7] Lauretta, D.S., Hergenrother, C.W., et al., 2019. Science, 366(6470). [8] Molaro, J.L., et al., 2020. Nat. Commun., 11(1), 1-11. [9] Molaro, J.L., et al., in review with JGR: Planets. [10] Martel, S.J., 2017. J. Structural Geol., 94, 68-86. [11] Holzhausen, G. R. (1989), Eng. Geol., 27(1-4), 225–278, 10.1016/0013-7952(89)90035-5. [12] Collins, B.D., et al., 2018. Nat. Commun., 9(1), 1-12.

Asteroids (24) Themis and (65) Cybele have an absorption feature at 3.1 µm reported to be directly linked to surface water ice. We searched for water vapour escaping from these asteroids with the Herschel Space Observatory Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared (HIFI). While no H2O line emission was detected, we obtain sensitive 3σ water production rate upper limits of Q(H2O) < 4.1 × 1026 mol. s−1 for Themis and Q(H2O) < 7.6 × 1026 mol. s−1 for Cybele. Using a Thermophysical Model (TPM), we merge data from Subaru/Comics and Herschel/SPIRE with the contents of a multi-observatory database to derive new radiometric properties for these two asteroids. For Themis, we find a thermal inertia Γ = 20+25-10 J m-2 s-1/2 K-1, a diameter 192 +10-7 km and a geometric V-band albedo pV = 0.07 ±0.01. For Cybele we obtain a thermal inertia Γ = 25 +28-19 J m-2 s-1/2 K-1, a diameter 282 ± 9 km, and an albedo pV = 0.042± 0.005. Using all inputs, we estimate that water ice intimately mixed with the asteroids’ dark surface material would cover < 0.0017% for Themis and < 0.0033% for Cybele of their surfaces, while an areal mixture with very clean ice (bond albedo 0.8 for Themis and 0.7 for Cybele) would cover < 2.2% for Themis and < 1.5% for Cybele, of their surfaces. While surface (& sub-surface) water ice may exist in small localized amounts on both asteroids, it is not the reason for the observed 3.1µm absorption feature.

The complex history of Bennu's surface The near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu is a carbon-rich body with a rubble pile structure, formed from debris ejected by an impact on a larger parent asteroid. The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft is designed to collect a sample of Bennu's surface and return it to Earth. After arriving at Bennu, OSIRIS-REx performed a detailed survey of the asteroid and reconnaissance of potential sites for sample collection. Three papers present results from those mission phases. DellaGiustina et al. mapped the optical color and albedo of Bennu's surface and established how they relate to boulders and impact craters, finding complex evolution caused by space weathering processes. Simon et al. analyzed near-infrared spectra, finding evidence for organic and carbonate materials that are widely distributed across the surface but are most concentrated on individual boulders. Kaplan et al. examined more detailed data collected on the primary sample site, called Nightingale. They identified bright veins with a distinct infrared spectrum in some boulders, which they interpreted as being carbonates formed by aqueous alteration on the parent asteroid. Together, these results constrain Bennu's evolution and provide context for the sample collected in October 2020. Science , this issue p. eabc3660 , p. eabc3522 , p. eabc3557

Introduction: Exogenous material has been reported on asteroids (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu. The albedo, color, and spectra of six bright boulders on Bennu show that they are distinct from the rest of Bennu’s comparatively dark surface and are likely basaltic material from asteroid (4) Vesta (DellaGiustina et al. 2019; 2020). Bright boulders identified on asteroid (162173) Ryugu show absorptions near 1 µm but not near 2 µm, suggesting olivine-rich anhydrous silicates (Tatsumi et al., 2019; 2020).Methods: In this work, we used images of Bennu obtained by the MapCam and PolyCam instruments (Rizk et al. 2018; Golish et al. 2020) on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft (Lauretta et al. 2017) to search for more potentially exogeneous material on the surface of Bennu. Results: We identified approximately 50 bright boulders on Bennu with significant x-band (0.85 µm) absorptions, including the six bright boulders previously described in DellaGiustina et al. (2020). These bright boulders are distributed across Bennu’s surface, concentrated in terrains with larger than average particle size. The boulders exhibit three main morphologies (homogeneous, heterogenous, and breccia) and three spectral types (reflectance peak at 0.55 µm, flat, and reflectance peak at 0.7 µm). There is some correlation between the morphology and the spectra. More specifically, three of the four boulders with reflectance peaks at 0.55 µm are in the breccia category and one is in the heterogeneous category, whereas all the boulders with reflectance peaking at 0.7 µm fall in the homogeneous and heterogenous categories. Bright boulders with reflectance peaking at 0.55 µm have lower normal albedo than the other two spectral groups, suggesting a different composition and possibly a different origin. An initial comparison with Ryugu (Tatsumi et al. 2019) indicates that Bennu is more abundant in possible exogeneous material. Discussion: Further analysis of MapCam and PolyCam images has revealed a wider diversity of potentially exogenous lithologies on Bennu, expanding on the findings of DellaGiustina et al. (2020). We continue our study of this diversity of material on Bennu’s surface to constrain the asteroid’s origin, evolution, and collisional history (e.g., Ballouz et al. 2020).References: DellaGiustina D. et al. (2019) Nat. Astron. 3, 341-351. DellaGiustina D. et al. (2020) Nat. Astron, in revision. Lauretta D. S. et al. (2017) Space Sci. Rev. 212, 925–984. Tatsumi E. et al. (2019) LPI Contribution No. 2132, id.1753. Rizk B. et al. (2018) Space Sci. Rev. 214, 26. Golish D.R. et al. (2020) Space Sci. Rev. 216, 12. Ballouz R.-L. et al. 2020, EPSC abstract.

Disruption and Reaccumulation: Asteroids such as Ryugu and Bennu are likely fragments formed from a larger body that was disrupted in the main asteroid belt [1,2]. Numerical simulations of asteroid disruptions—including the fragmentation phase during which the asteroid is broken up into small pieces and the gravitational phase during which fragments may reaccumulate due to their mutual attractions—lead to a family of rubble piles over a range of sizes [3]. Considering microporous parent bodies of 100 km in diameter, we found that their disruption (Fig. 1) can lead to rubble piles with oblate spheroidal or top shapes [4]. Moreover, assuming that the parent body is hydrated, the various degrees of heating at impact can produce rubble piles with different level of hydration as a result of a single parent body disruption. We proposed two scenarios where Ryugu and Bennu could originate from the same parent body. In scenario a, Ryugu and Bennu are composed from materials sourced from near the impact point and near its antipode, respectively. In scenario b, Ryugu and Bennu are composed from materials sourced from the parent-body center and near the impact point’s antipode, respectively. The detected signature of exogeneous material introduces new complexities to the collisional origin of Ryugu and Bennu [5, 6]. Rubble Pile Contamination: Due to the apparent spectral homogeneity observed on the surfaces of Bennu and Ryugu during the first observational campaigns, our simulations in [4] only considered the fate of material originating from the parent body, assumed to be homogenous in composition. However, subsequent spectral data from the OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 missions show a small fraction of anhydrous silicate material on the surface of the two bodies [5, 6]. The presence of this material can be explained by retention of a projectile on either the parent body or on the rubble piles themselves after their formation. However, projectile retention efficiencies for impacts of anhydrous silicates on hydrated minerals are poorly constrained [7, 8] for expected impact speeds in the main asteroid belt (~ 5km/s, [9]). Here, we investigate whether the family-forming catastrophic disruption can lead to the incorporation of impactor material in the reaccumulated family members, leading to the small fraction of apparently exogeneous material on their surface. Figure 1: Outcome of a SPH simulation of the disrup-tion of a microporous 100-km-diameter parent body. Each particle is a fragment. Colors represent the various degrees of impact heating. This outcome is the starting point of the gravitational phase during which the fragments reaccumulate to form rubble piles. Approach: We performed a series of numerical simulations of sub-catastrophic and catastrophic disruption of 1- and 100-km-diameter microporous asteroids. We account for both the parent body material and the projectile material in the subsequent gravitational phase when fragments re-accumulate to form the parent-body remnant and smaller rubble-pile family members. As in our previous works, the fragmentation phase was simulated using a Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) hydrocode, and the gravitational phase was computed using the N-body code pkdgrav, including the Soft-Sphere Discrete Element Method (SSDEM) [10]. We then track the surviving materials of both the projectile and the parent body, including their level of heating, as they reaccumulate. For each aggregate, we measure their shapes, the fractions of projectile and parent body materials that compose them, and their associated level of heating. Projectile material was neglected in previous work because asteroid families appear spectrally homogeneous, suggesting that they are mostly made of the material of their parent body. The advanced observational capabilities of space missions enabled the discovery that this scenario may be more complex. Outlook: Observational analysis of exogenous material on Ryugu and Bennu provide constrains for our numerical simulations. In particular, the total volume and the spectral characteristics of the exogenous material can be measured [5,6,11]. The total volume bounds the required contamination efficiency and/or the total time needed to contaminate the parent body. The spectral analysis shows that Bennu hosts HED-like material whereas Ryugu has ordinary chondrite–like material. This difference in the spectral signature of exogenous material may render scenario b (outlined above) invalid, as our preliminary calculations show that contamination on large 100-km parent bodies is likely only limited to its outer shell. Thus, it is difficult to form a 1st generation rubble-pile that has both: i) material from the parent body core, and ii) exogenous material that originated from the contamination of the original parent body’s outer shell. This scenario may be possible if the asteroid is a 2nd generation object, with its precursor being an approximately 20-km rubble-pile that incorporated material originating from both the center and exterior of the parent body [12, 13]. Our numerical simulations will provide claraity on the feasibility of these various scenarios. Ultimately, analysis and comparison of the returned samples will provide clarity on the potential shared collisional origin of Ryugu and Bennu, and the prevalence of impact contamination in the Solar System. Acknowledgements This material is based upon work supported by NASA under Contract NNM10AA11C issued through the New Frontiers Program. P.M. acknowledges support from the Centre National d’Études Spatiales and from the Academies of Excellence on Complex Systems and Space, Environment, Risk and Resilience of the Initiative d’EXcellence “Joint, Excellent, and Dynamic Initiative” (IDEX JEDI) of the Université Côte d’Azur. We are grateful to the entire OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 teams for making the encounters with Bennu and Ryugu possible. References: [1] Michel, P. et al. (2001) Science, 294, 1696–1700. [2] Walsh, K.J. (2018) ARA&A 56, 593. [3] Jutzi, M., et al. (2019) Icarus 317, 215. [4] Michel, P., Ballouz, R.-L. et al. (2020) Nature Comm. 11, 2655. [5] DellaGiustina, D.N., et al. (2019) EPSC-DPS2019-1074. [6] Sugimoto, C., et al. (2019) Asteroid Science in the Age of Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx, 2051. [7] Avdellidou, C., et al. (2016) MNRAS, 456, 2957. [8] Daly, R.T., & Schultz, P. H. (2018) M&PS, 53, 1364. [9] Bottke, W.F., et al. (2005) Icarus, 179, 63. [10] Ballouz, R.-L., et al. (2019) MNRAS 485, 697. [11] Campins, H., et al. (2020) EPSC. [12] Walsh, K.J., et al. (2020) LPSC 51, 2253. [13] Sugita, et al. (2019) Science 364, 252.

When rubble-pile asteroid 2008 TC3 impacted Earth on 7 October 2008, the recovered rock fragments indicated that such asteroids can contain exogenic material1,2. However, spacecraft missions to date have only observed exogenous contamination on large, monolithic asteroids that are impervious to collisional disruption3,4. Here, we report the presence of metre-scale exogenic boulders on the surface of near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu—the 0.5-km-diameter, rubble-pile target of the OSIRIS-REx mission5 that has been spectroscopically linked to the CM carbonaceous chondrite meteorites6. Hyperspectral data indicate that the exogenic boulders have the same distinctive pyroxene composition as the howardite–eucrite–diogenite (HED) meteorites that come from (4) Vesta, a 525-km-diameter asteroid that has undergone differentiation and extensive igneous processing7–9. Delivery scenarios include the infall of Vesta fragments directly onto Bennu or indirectly onto Bennu’s parent body, where the latter’s disruption created Bennu from a mixture of endogenous and exogenic debris. Our findings demonstrate that rubble-pile asteroids can preserve evidence of inter-asteroid mixing that took place at macroscopic scales well after planetesimal formation ended. Accordingly, the presence of HED-like material on the surface of Bennu provides previously unrecognized constraints on the collisional and dynamical evolution of the inner main belt. Six bright boulders of exotic material on near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu stand out from the average asteroidal surface. This unexpected record of impactors offers clues to the formation history of Bennu.

International audience; Asteroids (24) Themis and (65) Cybele have an absorption feature at 3.1 μm reported to be directly linked to surface water ice. We searched for water vapor escaping from these asteroids with the Herschel Space Observatory Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared. While no H 2 O line emission was detected, we obtain sensitive 3σ water production rate upper limits of Q(H 2 O)

The complex history of Bennu's surface The near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu is a carbon-rich body with a rubble pile structure, formed from debris ejected by an impact on a larger parent asteroid. The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft is designed to collect a sample of Bennu's surface and return it to Earth. After arriving at Bennu, OSIRIS-REx performed a detailed survey of the asteroid and reconnaissance of potential sites for sample collection. Three papers present results from those mission phases. DellaGiustina et al. mapped the optical color and albedo of Bennu's surface and established how they relate to boulders and impact craters, finding complex evolution caused by space weathering processes. Simon et al. analyzed near-infrared spectra, finding evidence for organic and carbonate materials that are widely distributed across the surface but are most concentrated on individual boulders. Kaplan et al. examined more detailed data collected on the primary sample site, called Nightingale. They identified bright veins with a distinct infrared spectrum in some boulders, which they interpreted as being carbonates formed by aqueous alteration on the parent asteroid. Together, these results constrain Bennu's evolution and provide context for the sample collected in October 2020. Science , this issue p. eabc3660 , p. eabc3522 , p. eabc3557

The Clarissa family is a small collisional family composed of primitive C-type asteroids. It is located in a dynamically stable zone of the inner asteroid belt. In this work we determine the formation age of the Clarissa family by modeling planetary perturbations as well as thermal drift of family members due to the Yarkovsky effect. Simulations were carried out using the Swift-rmvs4 integrator modified to account for the Yarkovsky and Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effects. We ran multiple simulations starting with different ejection velocity fields of fragments, varying proportion of initially retrograde spins, and also tested different Yarkovsky/YORP models. Our goal was to match the observed orbital structure of the Clarissa family which is notably asymmetrical in the proper semimajor axis. The best fits were obtained with the initial ejection velocities < ~20 m/s of diameter D=2 km fragments, 4:1 preference for spin-up by YORP, and assuming that 80% of small family members initially had retrograde rotation. The age of the Clarissa family was found to be 56+/-6 Myr for the assumed asteroid density 1.5 g/cm3. Small variation of density to smaller or larger value would lead to slightly younger or older age estimates. This is the first case where the Yarkovsky effect chronology has been successfully applied to an asteroid family younger than 100 Myr., The Astronomical Journal

The OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission is the third mission in NASA's New Frontiers Program and is the first U.S. mission to return samples from an asteroid to Earth. The most important decision ahead of the OSIRIS-REx team is the selection of a prime sample-site on the surface of asteroid (101955) Bennu. Mission success hinges on identifying a site that is safe and has regolith that can readily be ingested by the spacecraft's sampling mechanism. To inform this mission-critical decision, the surface of Bennu is mapped using the OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite and the images are used to develop several foundational data products. Acquiring the necessary inputs to these data products requires observational strategies that are defined specifically to overcome the challenges associated with mapping a small irregular body. We present these strategies in the context of assessing candidate sample-sites at Bennu according to a framework of decisions regarding the relative safety, sampleability, and scientific value across the asteroid's surface. To create data products that aid these assessments, we describe the best practices developed by the OSIRIS-REx team for image-based mapping of irregular small bodies. We emphasize the importance of using 3D shape models and the ability to work in body-fixed rectangular coordinates when dealing with planetary surfaces that cannot be uniquely addressed by body-fixed latitude and longitude.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx and JAXA's Hayabusa2 sample-return missions are currently on their way to encounter primitive near-Earth asteroids (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu, respectively. Spectral and dynamical evidence indicates that these near-Earth asteroids originated in the inner part of the main belt. There are several primitive collisional families in this region, and both these asteroids are most likely to have originated in the Polana-Eulalia family complex. We present the expected spectral characteristics of both targets based on our studies of our primitive collisional families in the inner belt: Polana-Eulalia, Erigone, Sulamitis, and Clarissa. Observations were obtained in the framework of our PRIMitive Asteroids Spectroscopic Survey (PRIMASS). Our results are especially relevant to the planning and interpretation of in-situ images and spectra to be obtained by the two spacecraft during the encounters with their targets., 22 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in Icarus on May 11, 2018

Asteroid (16) Psyche is a unique, metal-rich object belonging to the “M” taxonomic class. It may be a remnant protoplanet that has been stripped of most silicates by a hit-and-run collision. Because Psyche offers insight into the planetary formation process, it is the target of NASA’s Psyche mission, set to launch in 2023. In order to constrain Psyche’s surface properties, we have carried out a mid-infrared (5–14 µm) spectroscopic study using data collected with the Spitzer Space Telescope’s Infrared Spectrograph. Our study includes two observations covering different rotational phases. Using thermophysical modeling, we find that Psyche’s surface is smooth and likely has a thermal inertia Γ = 5–25 J/m2/K/s1/2 and bolometric emissivity ϵ = 0.9, although a scenario with ϵ = 0.7 and thermal inertia up to 95 J/m2/K/s1/2 is possible if Psyche is somewhat larger than previously determined. The smooth surface is consistent with the presence of a metallic bedrock, which would be more ductile than silicate bedrock, and thus may not readily form boulders upon impact events. From comparisons with laboratory spectra of silicate and meteorite powders, Psyche’s 7–14 µm emissivity spectrum is consistent with the presence of fine-grained (

We present new near-infrared spectra of 55 objects observed using the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility and the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, along with visible spectra of 21 objects obtained from the SMASS and S3OS2 surveys, to explore the differences in spectral slope and curvature between the background and the families and to show that the background is a possible source for both Bennu and Ryugu. Within the background population there is spectral diversity in taxonomy, spectral slope, and absorption band parameters. Our sample of asteroids shows that the background looks spectrally similar to the families in the same region, i.e., the background and families may have originated from the same or similar composition parent bodies. Average band center (0.69 ± 0.02 μm, depth: 2.3 ± 0.9%) of an ~0.7 μm absorption feature attributed to aqueous alteration is present in 30% of our primitive background asteroid sample, similar to abundances observed in other primitive inner belt asteroid families. Both near-Earth asteroid sample return mission targets, (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu, are thought to have originated from primitive asteroid populations in the inner main belt, specifically from the low inclination asteroid families. A population that has not been explored spectrally but is dynamically able to deliver asteroid fragments to near-Earth space is the background population, i.e., asteroids that do not cluster into families. Based on our spectral comparisons, the primordial background is a possible source for (162173) Ryugu, but not for (101955) Bennu.

Context. The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission detected an infrared absorption at 3.4 μm on near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu. This absorption is indicative of carbon species, including organics, on the surface. Aims. We aim to describe the composition of the organic matter on Bennu by investigating the spectral features in detail. Methods. We use a curated set of spectra acquired by the OSIRIS-REx Visible and InfraRed Spectrometer that have features near 3.4 μm (3.2 to 3.6 μm) attributed to organics. We assess the shapes and strengths of these absorptions in the context of laboratory spectra of extraterrestrial organics and analogs. Results. We find spectral evidence of aromatic and aliphatic CH bonds. The absorptions are broadly consistent in shape and depth with those associated with insoluble organic matter in meteorites. Given the thermal and space weathering environments on Bennu, it is likely that the organics have not been exposed for long enough to substantially decrease the H/C and destroy all aliphatic molecules.

INTRODUCTION Active asteroids are small bodies in the Solar System that show ongoing mass loss, such as the ejection of dust, which may be caused by large impacts, volatile release, or rotational acceleration. Studying them informs our understanding of the evolution and destruction of asteroids and the origin of volatile materials such as water on Earth. The OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer) spacecraft has rendezvoused with the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu. The selection of Bennu as the OSIRIS-REx target was partially based on its spectral similarity to some active asteroids. Observations designed to detect mass loss at Bennu were conducted from Earth and during the spacecraft’s approach, but no signs of asteroid activity were found. However, when the spacecraft entered orbit in January 2019, we serendipitously observed particles in the vicinity of Bennu that had apparently been ejected from its surface. RATIONALE We analyzed the properties and behavior of particles ejected from Bennu to determine the possible mechanisms of ejection and provide understanding of the broader population of active asteroids. Images obtained by the spacecraft indicate multiple discrete ejection events with a range of energies and resultant particle trajectories. We characterized three large ejection events that respectively occurred on 6 January, 19 January, and 11 February 2019. Tracking of individual particles across multiple images by means of optical navigation techniques provided the initial conditions for orbit determination modeling. By combining these approaches, we estimated the locations and times of ejection events and determined initial velocity vectors of particles. We estimated the particle sizes and the minimum energies of the ejection events using a particle albedo and density consistent with observations of Bennu. RESULTS Particles with diameters from 3 m s–1. Estimated energies ranged from 270 mJ for the 6 January event to 8 mJ for the 11 February event. The three events arose from widely separated sites, which do not show any obvious geological distinction from the rest of Bennu’s surface. However, these events all occurred in the late afternoon, between about 15:00 and 18:00 local solar time. In addition to discrete ejection events, we detected a persistent background of particles in the Bennu environment. Some of these background particles have been observed to persist on temporary orbits that last several days—in one case, with a semimajor axis >1 km. The orbital characteristics of these gravitationally bound objects make it possible to determine the ratio of their cross-sectional area to their mass. Combined with their photometric phase functions, this information constrains the parameter space of the particles’ diameters, densities, and albedos. CONCLUSION Plausible mechanisms for the large ejection events include thermal fracturing, volatile release through dehydration of phyllosilicates, and meteoroid impacts. The late-afternoon timing of the events is consistent with any of these mechanisms. Bennu’s boulder geology indicates that thermal fracturing, perhaps enhanced by volatile release, could occur on the asteroid surface. Smaller events, especially those that occur on the night side of Bennu, could be attributable to reimpacting particles. Our observations classify Bennu as an active asteroid. Active asteroids are commonly identified by major mass loss events observable with telescopes, on scales much greater than we observed at Bennu. Our findings indicate that there is a continuum of mass loss event magnitudes among active asteroids.

The surfaces of airless bodies such as lunar and S-type asteroids typically become spectrally redder in visible to near-infrared reflectance with longer exposures to space weathering. However, some carbonaceous asteroids instead become spectrally bluer. Space weathering experiments on carbonaceous meteorites have provided some clues as to the space weathering products that could produce spectral bluing. We applied these experimental results to our Hapke radiative transfer model, with which we modeled spectral data from the OSIRIS-REx mission in order to determine whether these space weathering products—specifically, nanophase and microphase metallic iron, troilite, and magnetite—could explain the globally blue spectrum of the carbonaceous asteroid (101955) Bennu. The model suggests that the surface of Bennu has microphase iron, nanophase magnetite, and nanophase and microphase troilite. Considering previous space weathering experiments together with our spectral modeling of Bennu, we posit that the presence of nanophase magnetite is what causes a carbonaceous asteroid to become spectrally bluer with exposure time. Nanophase magnetite can form on asteroids that have Fe-bearing hydrated minerals (phyllosilicates). On anhydrous carbonaceous asteroids, nanophase iron forms instead of magnetite, leading to spectral reddening. We therefore predict that samples returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission from Bennu will have more nanophase magnetite than nanophase iron with nanophase and microphase sulfides, whereas samples returned by the Hayabusa2 mission from the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu, which is spectrally red, will contain nanophase and microphase sulfides as well as more nanophase iron than nanophase magnetite.

We present NIR spectra of 19 asteroids in the Sulamitis family as part of our survey of primitive inner belt asteroid families. The spectra were obtained with NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility and the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo between January 2017 and February 2020. We find spectral homogeneity in our sample despite the diversity within the family observed at visible wavelengths. The average Sulamitis spectrum is flat with a spectral slope of 0.89 ± 0.26%/1000 A between 0.95 and 2.3 μm. We show that the Sulamitis family is spectrally similar to other inner belt families in the NIR, despite differences between families seen in the visible wavelength range. We also compare our obtained spectra with asteroids (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu to show that the Sulamitis family is a plausible source of Ryugu.

There are eight primitive asteroid families in the inner main belt. The PRIMitive Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey (PRIMASS) has characterized all eight families using visible spectroscopy, and two of the families at near infrared wavelengths. This work is part of our survey at near infrared wavelengths and adds a third family, Chaldaea, to it. We see a compositional trend with inclination in the lower inclination families, however, the higher inclination families show more complexity. So far, primitive inner belt families appear spectrally similar (but not identical) in the near infrared despite their diversity at visible wavelengths. We observed 15 objects in the Chaldaea primitive inner belt family using the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF) and the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) between January 2017 and February 2020. Our survey shows that the Chaldaea family is spectrally homogeneous in the NIR, similar to what was seen in the other primitive inner belt families in the near infrared. The Chaldaea family spectra have overwhelmingly concave shapes and have red slopes (average slope 0.85 ± 0.42%/1000 A in the region between 0.95 and 2.3 μm). We compare these new spectra with spectra from the Klio family and find that they are similar at these wavelengths, which is consistent with these two families having originated from the same parent body.

The inner asteroid belt is an important source of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). Dynamical studies of the inner asteroid belt have identified several families overlapping in proper orbital elements, including the Polana and Eulalia families that contain a large fraction of the low-albedo asteroids in this region. We present results from two coordinated observational campaigns to characterize this region through near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. These campaigns ran from August 2012 to May 2014 and used the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility and the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo. The observations focused on objects within these families or in the background, with low albedo ( p v ≤ 0.1) and low inclination ( i P ≤ 7°). We observed 63 asteroids (57 never before observed in the NIR): 61 low-albedo objects and two interlopers, both compatible with S- or E- taxonomical types. We found our sample to be spectrally homogeneous in the NIR. The sample shows a continuum of neutral to moderately-red concave-up spectra, very similar within the uncertainties. Only one object in the sample, asteroid (3429) Chuvaev , has a blue spectrum, with a slope ( S ′ = − 1.33 ± 0.21%/1000 A) significantly different from the average spectrum ( S ′ = 0.68 ± 0.68%/1000 A). This spectral homogeneity is independent of membership in families or the background population. Furthermore, we show that the Eulalia and Polana families cannot be distinguished using NIR data. We also searched for rotational variability on the surface of (495) Eulalia which we do not detect. (495) Eulalia shows a red concave-up spectrum with an average slope S ′ = 0.91 ± 0.60%/1000 A, very similar to the average slope of our sample. The spectra of two targets of sample-return missions, (101955) Bennu, target of NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex and (162173) 1999 JU 3 target of the Japanese Space Agency’s Hayabusa-2, are very similar to our average spectrum, which would be compatible with an origin in this region of the inner belt.

Spectroscopic investigations of primitive asteroid families constrain family evolution and composition and conditions in the solar nebula, and reveal information about past and present distributions of volatiles in the solar system. Visible and near-infrared studies of primitive asteroid families have shown spectral diversity between and within families. Here, we aim to better understand the composition and physical properties of two primitive families with vastly different ages: ancient Themis (∼2.5 Gyr) and young Veritas (∼8 Myr). We analyzed the 5 – 14 µm Spitzer Space Telescope spectra of 11 Themis-family asteroids, including eight previously studied by Licandro et al. (2012), and nine Veritas-family asteroids, for a total of 20 asteroids in our sample. We detect a broad 10-µm emission feature, attributed to fine-grained and/or porous silicate regolith, in all 11 Themis-family spectra and six of nine Veritas-family asteroids, with 10-µm spectral contrast ranging from 1% ± 0.1% to 8.5% ± 0.9%. We used thermal modeling to derive diameters, beaming parameters and albedos for our sample. Asteroids in both families have beaming parameters near unity and geometric albedos in the range 0.03 – 0.14. Spectral contrast of the 10-µm silicate emission feature is correlated with beaming parameter and rotation period in the Themis family, and may be related to near-infrared spectral slope for both families. We see no correlations of 10-µm emission with diameter or albedo for either family. Comparison with laboratory spectra of primitive meteorites suggests these asteroids are similar to meteorites with relatively low abundances of phyllosilicates. Overall, our results suggest the Themis and Veritas families are primitive asteroids with variation in composition and/or regolith properties within both families.

The Polana-Eulalia family complex is located in the inner part of the asteroid belt, bounded by the ν6 and the 3:1 resonances, where we can find another three collisional families of primitive asteroids (Erigone, Clarissa, and Sulamitis), and a low-albedo population of background objects. This region of the belt is believed to be the most likely origin of the two primitive near-Earth asteroids that are the current targets of two sample return missions: NASA's OSIRIS-REx and JAXA's Hayabusa 2 to Asteroids (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu (also known as 1999 JU3), respectively. Therefore, understanding these families will enhance the scientific return of these missions. We present the results of a spectroscopic survey of asteroids in the region of the Polana-Eulalia family complex, and also asteroids from the background population of low-albedo, low-inclination objects. We obtained visible spectra of a total of 65 asteroids, using the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) and the 3.6 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG), both located at the El Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory, in the island of La Palma (Spain), and the 3.6 m New Technology Telescope (NTT), located at the European Southern Observatory of La Silla, in Chile. From the spectral analysis of our sample we found that, in spite of the presence of distinct dynamical groups, the asteroids in this region present spectral homogeneity at visible wavelengths, showing a continuum of spectral slopes, from blue to moderately red, typical of primitive asteroids classified as B- and C-types. We conclude that visible spectra cannot be used to distinguish between members of the Polana and the Eulalia families, or members of the background population. The visible spectra of the two targets of sample return missions, Asteroids Bennu and Ryugu, are compatible with the spectra of the asteroids in this region, supporting previous studies that suggested either the Polana family or the background population as the most likely origins of these NEAs.

The PRIMitive Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey (PRIMASS) aims to characterize primitive asteroids throughout the asteroid belt in the visible and near-infrared (NIR). There are eight primitive families in the inner main belt: Polana-Eulalia, Erigone, Sulamitis, Clarissa, Chaldaea, Klio, Svea and Chimaera. PRIMASS has already characterized all 8 families in the visible, and the Polana-Eulalia complex in the NIR. Results of our previous work show that low inclination inner belt family asteroids fall into at least two distinct compositional groups: Polana-like (anhydrous and spectrally homogeneous) or Erigone-like (hydrated and spectrally diverse). In the visible, the Klio family is spectrally diverse and 23% of the objects show evidence of hydration, but it is not Erigone-like. We observed 21 objects in the Kilo family using the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF) and the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) between January 2017 and March 2019. Our survey shows that the Klio family is spectrally homogeneous in the NIR, i.e., the heterogeneity seen in the visible does not extend to the NIR. The Klio family NIR spectra have mostly convex shapes and have red slopes (average slope 1.052 ± 0.425%/1000 A normalized at 1.0 μm). The average spectra of both families we have studied in the NIR (Polana-Eulalia and Klio) differ slightly in spectral shape and slope, consistent with space weathering effects, but not conclusively so. Based on our NIR spectral comparisons, the Klio family cannot be ruled out as a possible source for two near-Earth asteroids: (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu.

Asteroids can be classified into several groups based on their spectral reflectance. Among these groups, the one belonging to the L-class in the taxonomic classification based on visible and near-infrared spectra exhibit several peculiar properties. First, their near-infrared spectrum is characterized by a strong absorption band interpreted as the diagnostic of a high content of the FeO bearing spinel mineral. This mineral is one of the main constituents of Calcium-Aluminum-rich Inclusions (CAI) the oldest mineral compounds found in the solar system. In polarimetry, they possess an uncommonly large value of the inversion angle incompatible with all known asteroid belonging to other taxonomical classes. Asteroids found to possess such a high inversion angle are commonly called Barbarians based on the first asteroid on which this property was first identified, (234)~Barbara. In this paper we present the results of an extensive campaign of polarimetric and spectroscopic observations of L-class objects. We have derived phase-polarization curves for a sample of 7 Barbarians, finding a variety of inversion angles ranging between 25 and 30$^{\circ}$. Spectral reflectance data exhibit variations in terms of spectral slope and absorption features in the near-infrared. We analyzed these data using a Hapke model to obtain some inferences about the relative abundance of CAI and other mineral compounds. By combining spectroscopic and polarimetric results, we find evidence that the polarimetric inversion angle is directly correlated with the presence of CAI, and the peculiar polarimetric properties of Barbarians are primarily a consequence of their anomalous composition., 31 pages, 21 figures, 5 tables

Spectroscopic observations from the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared (IR) have revealed new and diagnostic differences among primitive asteroids. We review the spectral characteristics of these asteroids and their inferred compositional and physical properties. Primitive asteroids throughout the belt show carbon-rich compounds, varying degrees of aqueous alteration, and even surface ice; recent observations provide significant new constraints on composition, thermal inertia, and other surface properties. New mid-IR connections between primitive asteroids and interplanetary dust particles indicate that the latter sample a larger fraction of main belt asteroids than meteorites. Links with the composition of comets are consistent with a proposed continuum between primitive asteroids and comets. Two sample-return missions, OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2, will visit primitive near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). Most spacecraft-accessible NEAs originate in the inner asteroid belt, which contains several primitive asteroid families and a background of primitive asteroids outside these families. Initial results from these families offer a tantalizing preview of the properties expected in the NEAs they produce. So far, primitive asteroids in the inner belt fall into two spectral groups. The first group includes the Polana–Eulalia families, which show considerable spectral homogeneity in spite of their dynamical and collisional complexity. In contrast, the Erigone and Sulamitis families are spectrally diverse, and most of their members show clear 0.7-μm hydration features. The two sample-return targets, (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu, most likely originated in the Polana family.

Ongoing spectroscopic reconnaissance of the OSIRIS-REx target Asteroid (101955) Bennu was performed in July 2011 and May 2012. Near-infrared spectra taken during these apparitions display slightly more positive (“redder”) spectral slopes than most previously reported measurements. While observational systematic effects can produce such slope changes, and these effects cannot be ruled out, we entertain the hypothesis that the measurements are correct. Under this assumption, we present laboratory measurements investigating a plausible explanation that positive spectral slopes indicate a finer grain size for the most directly observed sub-Earth region on the asteroid. In all cases, the positive spectral slopes correspond to sub-Earth latitudes nearest to the equatorial ridge of Bennu. If confirmed by OSIRIS-REx in situ observations, one possible physical implication is that if the equatorial ridge is created by regolith migration during episodes of rapid rotation, that migration is most strongly dominated by finer grain material. Alternatively, after formation of the ridge (by regolith of any size distribution), larger-sized equatorial material may be more subject to loss due to centrifugal acceleration relative to finer grain material, where cohesive forces can preferentially retain the finest fraction (Rozitis, B., Maclennan, E., Emery, J.P. [2014]. Nature 512, 174–176).

Many members of the Themis family show evidence of hydration in the form of oxidized iron in phyllosilicates (Florczak, M. et al. [1999]. Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser. 134, 463–471), and OH-bearing minerals (Takir, D., Emery, J.P. [2012]. Icarus 219, 641–654). The largest member, (24) Themis, has H 2 O ice covering its surface (Campins, H. et al. [2010]. Nature 464, 1320–1321; Rivkin, A.S., Emery, J.P. [2010]. Nature 464, 1322–1323). We have investigated the second largest Themis-family asteroid, (90) Antiope, which Castillo-Rogez and Schmidt (Castillo-Rogez, J.C., Schmidt, B.E. [2010]. Geophys. Res. Lett. 37, L10202) predict to have a composition that includes water ice and organics. We obtained 2–4-μm spectroscopy of (90) Antiope in 2006 and 2008, and we find an absorption in the 3-μm region clearly present in our 2008 spectrum and likely in our 2006 spectrum. Both spectra have rounded, bowl-shaped absorptions consistent with those ascribed to water ice as in the spectrum of Asteroid (24) Themis. We also present and compare Spitzer 8–12-μm mid-infrared spectra of (24) Themis and (90) Antiope. We find that (90) Antiope is lacking a “fairy castle” dusty surface, which is in contrast to (24) Themis, other Themis family members (Licandro, J. et al. [2012]. Astron. Astrophys. 537, A73), and Jupiter Trojans (e.g. Emery, J.P., Cruikshank, D.P., Van Cleve, J. [2006]. Icarus 182, 496–512). We conclude that the surface structure of (90) Antiope is most similar to Cybele Asteroid (121) Hermione (Hargrove, K.D. et al. [2012]. Icarus 221, 453–455).