Premium
Geophysical evolution of the Themis family parent body
Author(s) -
CastilloRogez Julie C.,
Schmidt B. E.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2009gl042353
Subject(s) - water ice , parent body , geophysics , geology , astrobiology , asteroid , earth science , physics , meteorite , chondrite
We model the geophysical evolution of the Themis family parent body. This study is motivated by the recent detection of water ice at the surface of 24 Themis, the first detection of free water on the surface of an asteroid. The Themis family members display a variety of spectral properties and densities, a possible indication that their parent was differentiated at the time of break‐up. Differentiation of the parent body is better explained if it accreted as a mixture of ice within a few My after the production of CAIs. From these models we highlight a number of issues that provide a strong rationale for further ground‐based and future space exploration of that family.