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Main Authors: Takács, Nóra, Kiss, Csaba, Szakáts, Róbert, Pál, András
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.13332
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author Takács, Nóra
Kiss, Csaba
Szakáts, Róbert
Pál, András
author_facet Takács, Nóra
Kiss, Csaba
Szakáts, Róbert
Pál, András
contents Using multidirectional measurements from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), we investigated the viability of determining the approximate shape and spin axis orientations for 44 selected main belt asteroids, using light curve inversion, assuming Lommel-Seeliger ellipsoids. This study aims to investigate the applicability of low-degree-of-freedom shape models in those cases when rotation periods can be accurately determined, but light curves are only available in a limited number of geometries or orbital phases. Our results are compared with the shape and spin axis solutions obtained for the same set of asteroids by more complex light curve inversion methods using mainly ground-based measurements, available via the Database of Asteroid Models from Inversion Techniques (DAMIT).The best-fit spin-axis orientations show a moderately good match with the DAMIT solutions; however, a better agreement is reached with triaxial ellipsoid solution obtained from other large, independent surveys. This suggests that while TESS-only data works well for finding rotation periods, it has its limitations when determining asteroid shape and spin-axis orientation. We discuss the challenges and potential applications of this approach for studying large number of asteroids observed by TESS.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_13332
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Solar System objects observed with TESS -- Early Data Release 2: I. Spin-shape recovery potential of multi-epoch TESS observations
Takács, Nóra
Kiss, Csaba
Szakáts, Róbert
Pál, András
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Using multidirectional measurements from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), we investigated the viability of determining the approximate shape and spin axis orientations for 44 selected main belt asteroids, using light curve inversion, assuming Lommel-Seeliger ellipsoids. This study aims to investigate the applicability of low-degree-of-freedom shape models in those cases when rotation periods can be accurately determined, but light curves are only available in a limited number of geometries or orbital phases. Our results are compared with the shape and spin axis solutions obtained for the same set of asteroids by more complex light curve inversion methods using mainly ground-based measurements, available via the Database of Asteroid Models from Inversion Techniques (DAMIT).The best-fit spin-axis orientations show a moderately good match with the DAMIT solutions; however, a better agreement is reached with triaxial ellipsoid solution obtained from other large, independent surveys. This suggests that while TESS-only data works well for finding rotation periods, it has its limitations when determining asteroid shape and spin-axis orientation. We discuss the challenges and potential applications of this approach for studying large number of asteroids observed by TESS.
title Solar System objects observed with TESS -- Early Data Release 2: I. Spin-shape recovery potential of multi-epoch TESS observations
topic Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.13332