Radiometry and a thermal modeling of asteroids

Abstract

The steps required to determine a radiometric diameter of an asteroid from observations of its visual and thermal radiation are described together with thermal models required to predict the emission expected from a body of given size and bolometric albedo. It is pointed out, however, that, in some cases, these models were found to fail for a variety of reasons; in particular, they fail to characterize the shape, surface roughness, the rate and sense of rotation, and the maturity of the surface regolith, all of which affect the observed thermal flux. Several thermal models are examined, including the Standard Thermal Model for asteroids, the fast-rotating (isothermal-latitude) model, the thermophysical model, and the rough-surface thermophysical models.