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M. Fulchignoni, M.A. Barucci (LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, France), I.N. Belskaya (Institute of Astronomy Kharkiv, Ukraine), M. Birlain (IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, France)
Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) and Centaurs display the widest color diversity in comparison to other small Solar system bodies. The investigation of their properties can help in understanding the evolution of these objects. We applied to TNOs and Centaurs the same statistical analysis used in the '80s to classify the asteroid population: the multivariate statistic analysis (G-Mode) and the Principal Component Analysis.
We considered all the high quality available colors on TNOs and Centaurs published after 1996. We analyzed i) a set of data for 135 objects observed in B, V, R and I band, ii) a set of 51 objects observed in B, V, R, I, J bands and iii) a sub-sample of 37 objects including also H band.
On the basis of the obtained results of the multivariate statistics four groups have been identified and named : BB, BR, IR and RR. The group BB contains objects with neutral color, RR those with very red color, while the others have intermediate behavior. A tentative interpretation of these groups in terms of surface characteristics is given.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #3
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.