Predictions for the detection of Earth and Mars Trojan asteroids by the Gaia satellite
The European Space Agency Gaia satellite, planned for launch in late 2013, will perform systematic astrometric observations of the whole sky over a five year period. During this mission many thousands of Solar System Objects down to magnitude V =20 will be observed including Near-Earth Asteroids and...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
2014
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30744 |
| _version_ | 1848753177027936256 |
|---|---|
| author | Todd, M. Tanga, P. Coward, D. Zadnik, Marjan |
| author_facet | Todd, M. Tanga, P. Coward, D. Zadnik, Marjan |
| author_sort | Todd, M. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The European Space Agency Gaia satellite, planned for launch in late 2013, will perform systematic astrometric observations of the whole sky over a five year period. During this mission many thousands of Solar System Objects down to magnitude V =20 will be observed including Near-Earth Asteroids and objects at Solar elongations a slow as 45 °, which are difficult to observe with ground-based telescopes. We simulated the detection of Trojan asteroids in the orbits of Earth and Mars by Gaia. We find that Gaia will not detect the Earth Trojan 2010 TK7 although it will detect any Earth Trojans with diameters larger than 600 m. We also find that Gaia will detect the currently known Mars Trojans and could discover more than 100 new Mars Trojans as small as 400 m in diameter. The results of the Gaia mission will test the predictions about the Mars Trojan asteroid population and lead to greater understanding about the evolution of the Solar System. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:20:22Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-30744 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:20:22Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-307442017-09-13T15:10:07Z Predictions for the detection of Earth and Mars Trojan asteroids by the Gaia satellite Todd, M. Tanga, P. Coward, D. Zadnik, Marjan asteroids: general – planets and satellites: general – celestial mechanics methods: numerical – methods: observational – methods: statistical – - minor planets The European Space Agency Gaia satellite, planned for launch in late 2013, will perform systematic astrometric observations of the whole sky over a five year period. During this mission many thousands of Solar System Objects down to magnitude V =20 will be observed including Near-Earth Asteroids and objects at Solar elongations a slow as 45 °, which are difficult to observe with ground-based telescopes. We simulated the detection of Trojan asteroids in the orbits of Earth and Mars by Gaia. We find that Gaia will not detect the Earth Trojan 2010 TK7 although it will detect any Earth Trojans with diameters larger than 600 m. We also find that Gaia will detect the currently known Mars Trojans and could discover more than 100 new Mars Trojans as small as 400 m in diameter. The results of the Gaia mission will test the predictions about the Mars Trojan asteroid population and lead to greater understanding about the evolution of the Solar System. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30744 10.1093/mnras/stt2223 Oxford University Press fulltext |
| spellingShingle | asteroids: general – planets and satellites: general – celestial mechanics methods: numerical – methods: observational – methods: statistical – - minor planets Todd, M. Tanga, P. Coward, D. Zadnik, Marjan Predictions for the detection of Earth and Mars Trojan asteroids by the Gaia satellite |
| title | Predictions for the detection of Earth and Mars Trojan asteroids by the Gaia satellite |
| title_full | Predictions for the detection of Earth and Mars Trojan asteroids by the Gaia satellite |
| title_fullStr | Predictions for the detection of Earth and Mars Trojan asteroids by the Gaia satellite |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predictions for the detection of Earth and Mars Trojan asteroids by the Gaia satellite |
| title_short | Predictions for the detection of Earth and Mars Trojan asteroids by the Gaia satellite |
| title_sort | predictions for the detection of earth and mars trojan asteroids by the gaia satellite |
| topic | asteroids: general – planets and satellites: general – celestial mechanics methods: numerical – methods: observational – methods: statistical – - minor planets |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30744 |