1. Consequences for Detection
Asteroid Albedos
&
Consequences for Detection
by NEA Survey Programs
Contributed by
Eric B. Grosfils
Pomona College

2. Astronomy: Sky Surveys
Great idea! But not so simple in practice…
It’s a big solar system out there!
Trade off between detection size limit and survey speed/effectiveness.
Asteroids are dark… much like asteroid Eros (10 km x 30 km) shown here (it really is here, even if you cannot see it)
with albedos of a few percent, think looking for lumps of coal set against the black vastness of space!
Eros’ Albedo: 5%
Goals and problems with sky survey…
Flip through next few slides to illustrate why albedo poses such a large problem!

3. Astronomy: Sky Surveys
10%
10%

4. Astronomy: Sky Surveys
20%
20%

5. Astronomy: Sky Surveys
30%
30%

6. Astronomy: Sky Surveys
40%
40%

7. Astronomy: Sky Surveys
50%
50%... You get the point!