[Previous] | [Session 14] | [Next]
D. Lazzaro, C.A. Angeli, T. Mothe-Diniz, J.M. Carvano, R. Duffard (Observatorio Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), M. Florczak (CEFET, Curitiba, Brazil)
Informations about the compositional and mineralogical properties of a large sample of asteroids is important to better constraint their formation and evolution. In this sense large surveys have been performed in the last years either through photometric or spectroscopic observations (ex.: ECAS, 52colours, SMASS, etc.) with nearly 2000 asteroids sampled. However, in view of the steadly increasing number of known asteroids this sample is still in need of more data in order to have a complete knowledge of the distribution of compositions. The purpose of the Small Solar System Objects Spectroscopic Survey - S3OS2, was to contribute to increase the database of known superficial composition of asteroids in the visible range.
The S3OS2 was performed at the European Southern Observatory (La Silla, Chile) under the agreement with the Observatorio Nacional, using the 1.52-m telescope equipped with a Boller & Chivens Spectrograph and a CCD. The survey was carried on from November 1996 up to September 2001 and visible spectra, in the range 4900-9200 Angstrom, were obtained for 843 asteroids. All these spectra will be available at the homepage of the Observatorio Nacional (http://www.on.br/institucional/) starting on October/2002. The taxonomic classification of all the sample will also be available at the same site.
The spatial distribution of S3OS2 range from the Near Earth region, around 1.5 AU, up the Trojan region, around 5.2AU. Several families have been studied as well as several groups, all of which have been object of specific papers. In this presentation we will discuss the general properties and results of the survey, in view of what these represent for a better understanding about the formation and subsequent collisional and dynamical evolution of the asteroid belt as a whole.
The author acknowledge the funding from CNPq, FAPERJ and CAPES.
If the author provided an email address or URL for general inquiries,
it is as follows:
Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34, #3< br> © 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.