D. Turrini

Spectroscopic Characterization of Mineralogy and Its Diversity Across Vesta

A New Dawn Since 17 July 2011, NASAs spacecraft Dawn has been orbiting the asteroid Vesta—the second most massive and the third largest asteroid in the solar system (see the cover). Russell et al. (p. 684) use Dawns observations to confirm that Vesta is a small differentiated planetary body with an inner core, and represents a surviving proto-planet from the earliest epoch of solar system formation; Vesta is also confirmed as the source of the howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) meteorites. Jaumann et al. (p. 687) report on the asteroids overall geometry and topography, based on global surface mapping. Vestas surface is dominated by numerous impact craters and large troughs around the equatorial region. Marchi et al. (p. 690) report on Vestas complex cratering history and constrain the age of some of its major regions based on crater counts. Schenk et al. (p. 694) describe two giant impact basins located at the asteroids south pole. Both basins are young and excavated enough amounts of material to form the Vestoids—a group of asteroids with a composition similar to that of Vesta—and HED meteorites. De Sanctis et al. (p. 697) present the mineralogical characterization of Vesta, based on data obtained by Dawns visual and infrared spectrometer, revealing that this asteroid underwent a complex magmatic evolution that led to a differentiated crust and mantle. The global color variations detailed by Reddy et al. (p. 700) are unlike those of any other asteroid observed so far and are also indicative of a preserved, differentiated proto-planet. Spacecraft data provide a detailed characterization of the second most massive asteroid in the solar system. The mineralogy of Vesta, based on data obtained by the Dawn spacecraft’s visible and infrared spectrometer, is consistent with howardite-eucrite-diogenite meteorites. There are considerable regional and local variations across the asteroid: Spectrally distinct regions include the south-polar Rheasilvia basin, which displays a higher diogenitic component, and equatorial regions, which show a higher eucritic component. The lithologic distribution indicates a deeper diogenitic crust, exposed after excavation by the impact that formed Rheasilvia, and an upper eucritic crust. Evidence for mineralogical stratigraphic layering is observed on crater walls and in ejecta. This is broadly consistent with magma-ocean models, but spectral variability highlights local variations, which suggests that the crust can be a complex assemblage of eucritic basalts and pyroxene cumulates. Overall, Vesta mineralogy indicates a complex magmatic evolution that led to a differentiated crust and mantle.

Ammoniated phyllosilicates with a likely outer Solar System origin on (1) Ceres

Studies of the dwarf planet (1) Ceres using ground-based and orbiting telescopes have concluded that its closest meteoritic analogues are the volatile-rich CI and CM carbonaceous chondrites. Water in clay minerals, ammoniated phyllosilicates, or a mixture of Mg(OH)2 (brucite), Mg2CO3 and iron-rich serpentine have all been proposed to exist on the surface. In particular, brucite has been suggested from analysis of the mid-infrared spectrum of Ceres. But the lack of spectral data across telluric absorption bands in the wavelength region 2.5 to 2.9 micrometres—where the OH stretching vibration and the H2O bending overtone are found—has precluded definitive identifications. In addition, water vapour around Ceres has recently been reported, possibly originating from localized sources. Here we report spectra of Ceres from 0.4 to 5 micrometres acquired at distances from ~82,000 to 4,300 kilometres from the surface. Our measurements indicate widespread ammoniated phyllosilicates across the surface, but no detectable water ice. Ammonia, accreted either as organic matter or as ice, may have reacted with phyllosilicates on Ceres during differentiation. This suggests that material from the outer Solar System was incorporated into Ceres, either during its formation at great heliocentric distance or by incorporation of material transported into the main asteroid belt.

Dark material on Vesta from the infall of carbonaceous volatile-rich material

Localized dark and bright materials, often with extremely different albedos, were recently found on Vesta’s surface. The range of albedos is among the largest observed on Solar System rocky bodies. These dark materials, often associated with craters, appear in ejecta and crater walls, and their pyroxene absorption strengths are correlated with material brightness. It was tentatively suggested that the dark material on Vesta could be either exogenic, from carbon-rich, low-velocity impactors, or endogenic, from freshly exposed mafic material or impact melt, created or exposed by impacts. Here we report Vesta spectra and images and use them to derive and interpret the properties of the ‘pure’ dark and bright materials. We argue that the dark material is mainly from infall of hydrated carbonaceous material (like that found in a major class of meteorites and some comet surfaces), whereas the bright material is the uncontaminated indigenous Vesta basaltic soil. Dark material from low-albedo impactors is diffused over time through the Vestan regolith by impact mixing, creating broader, diffuse darker regions and finally Vesta’s background surface material. This is consistent with howardite–eucrite–diogenite meteorites coming from Vesta.

The GAPS programme with HARPS-N at TNG - I. Observations of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect and characterisation of the transiting system Qatar-1

Context. Our understanding of the formation and evolution of planetary systems is still fragmentary because most of the current data provide limited information about the orbital structure and dynamics of these systems. The knowledge of the orbital properties for a variety of systems and at di erent ages yields information on planet migration and on star-planet tidal interaction mechanisms. Aims. In this context, a long-term, multi-purpose, observational programme has started with HARPS-N at TNG and aims to characterise the global architectural properties of exoplanetary systems. The goal of this first paper is to fully characterise the orbital properties of the transiting system Qatar-1 as well as the physical properties of the star and the planet. Methods. We exploit HARPS-N high-precision radial velocity measurements obtained during a transit to measure the Rossiter-McLaughlin e ect in the Qatar-1 system, and out-of-transit measurements to redetermine the spectroscopic orbit. New photometric-transit light-curves were analysed and a spectroscopic characterisation of the host star atmospheric parameters was performed based on various methods (line equivalent width ratios, spectral synthesis, spectral energy distribution). Results. We achieved a significant improvement in the accuracy of the orbital parameters and derived the spin-orbit alignment of the system; this information, combined with the spectroscopic determination of the host star properties (rotation, Te , logg, metallicity), allows us to derive the fundamental physical parameters for star and planet (masses and radii). The orbital solution for the Qatar-1 system is consistent with a circular orbit and the system presents a sky-projected obliquity of = 8:4 7:1 deg. The planet, with a mass of 1:33 0:05 MJ, is found to be significantly more massive than previously reported. The host star is confirmed to be metal-rich ([Fe/H] = 0:20 0:10) and slowly rotating (v sinI = 1:7 0:3 km s 1 ), though moderately active, as indicated by the strong chromospheric emission in the Caii H&K line cores (logR 0 4:60). Conclusions. We find that the system is well aligned and fits well within the general versus Te trend. We can definitely rule out any significant orbital eccentricity. The evolutionary status of the system is inferred based on gyrochronology, and the present orbital configuration and timescale for orbital decay are discussed in terms of star-planet tidal interactions.

Two Mass Distributions in the L 1641 Molecular Clouds: The Herschel connection of Dense Cores and Filaments in Orion A

We present the Herschel Gould Belt survey maps of the L\,1641 molecular clouds in Orion A. We extracted both the filaments and dense cores in the region. We identified which of dense sources are proto- or pre-stellar, and studied their association with the identified filaments. We find that although most (71%) of the pre-stellar sources are located on filaments there is still a significant fraction of sources not associated with such structures. We find that these two populations (on and off the identified filaments) have distinctly different mass distributions. The mass distribution of the sources on the filaments is found to peak at 4 Solar masses and drives the shape of the CMF at higher masses, which we fit with a power law of the form d

Vesta and Ceres: Crossing the History of the Solar System

N

Vesta surface thermal properties map

/dlog

The contamination of the surface of Vesta by impacts and the delivery of the dark material

M \propto M^{-1.4\pm0.4}

Jovian Early Bombardment: planetesimal erosion in the inner asteroid belt

. The mass distribution of the sources off the filaments, on the other hand, peaks at 0.8 Solar masses and leads to a flattening of the CMF at masses lower than ~4 Solar masses. We postulate that this difference between the mass distributions is due to the higher proportion of gas that is available in the filaments, rather than in the diffuse cloud.

From Gas to Satellitesimals: Disk Formation and Evolution

The evolution of the Solar System can be schematically divided into three different phases: the Solar Nebula, the Primordial Solar System and the Modern Solar System. These three periods were characterized by very different conditions, both from the point of view of the physical conditions and from that of the processes there were acting through them. Across the Solar Nebula phase, planetesimals and planetary embryos were forming and differentiating due to the decay of short-lived radionuclides. At the same time, giant planets formed their cores and accreted the nebular gas to reach their present masses. After the gas dispersal, the Primordial Solar System began its evolution. In the inner Solar System, planetary embryos formed the terrestrial planets and, in combination with the gravitational perturbations of the giant planets, depleted the residual population of planetesimals. In the outer Solar System, giant planets underwent a violent, chaotic phase of orbital rearrangement which caused the Late Heavy Bombardment. Then the rapid and fierce evolution of the young Solar System left place to the more regular secular evolution of the Modern Solar System. Vesta, through its connection with HED meteorites, and plausibly Ceres too were between the first bodies to form in the history of the Solar System. Here we discuss the timescale of their formation and evolution and how they would have been affected by their passage through the different phases of the history of the Solar System, in order to draw a reference framework to interpret the data that Dawn mission will supply on them.