DPS Meeting, Madison, October 1998
Session 7. Asteroid Observations II
Contributed Oral Parallel Session, Monday, October 12, 1998, 10:30-11:30am, Madison Ballroom D

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[7.06] Recent and In-Progress Radar Modeling Results

R. S. Hudson (WA St. Univ.), S. J. Ostro (JPL)

For the Earth-crossing asteroid (ECA) 4179 Toutatis, a previously published three-dimensional model (Hudson and Ostro, {\em Science} {\bf 270}, 84 - 86) was based on 1992 "low-resolution" radar images from Goldstone and Arecibo. That model had 3,196 triangular facets with an average area of about (84 {\rm m})2 each. Using "high-resolution" images from 1992 and new Goldstone radar images from 1996, we have extended this model to have 39,996 triangular facets with an average area of about (25 {\rm m})2 each. The high-resolution Toutatis model reveals much finer surface detail including numerous smaller craters. By forcing the suppression of concavities at various levels during the modeling, we were able to investigate the statistical significance of specific features of our model.

Delay-Doppler images of the ECA 4197 (1982 TA) obtained at Goldstone during October 1996 achieved resolution as fine as 150 m. We will report on of the currently in-progress physical modeling of this object.


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