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General
Este Proyecto estudia las propiedades físicas y composicionales de los llamados pequeños cuerpos del Sistema Solar, que incluyen asteroides, objetos helados y cometas. Entre los grupos de mayor interés destacan los objetos trans-neptunianos (TNOs), incluyendo los objetos más lejanos detectados hasta la fecha (Extreme-TNOs o ETNOs); los cometas, y los objetos transicionales cometa-asteroide (Centauros y los llamados Main Belt Comets - MBCs); los asteroides primitivos. Los dos últimos grupos contienen el material más primordial y prístino del Sistema Solar son claves para comprender su origen y evolución. Se destacan entre los asteroides aquellos que se acercan a la órbita de la Tierra (near-Earth asteroids o NEAs), así como los considerados potencialmente peligrosos (Potentially Hazardous Asteroids o PHAs). Debido a su cercanía, los NEAs son los objetos más accesibles al estudio in-situ con misiones espaciales y su futura explotación como fuente de materias primas (asteroid mining). Se destaca el liderazgo por parte del IP del grupo de un survey espectroscópico (visible e infrarrojo cercano) de asteroids primitivos (PRIMitive Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey - PRIMASS). Este proyecto ha recibido financiación de la NASA (17-PDART17_2-0097, IP: N. Pinilla-Alonso, 137.000€ - 2 años) para archivar todos estos espectros (más de 800) en el Small Bodies Node del NASA Planetary Data System.
Los estudios de composición superficial y propiedades físicas y térmicas de estos cuerpos se llevan a cabo utilizando espectroscopia en un amplio rango de longitudes de onda (desde 0.35 a 24 micras), así como imagen y fotometría en el mismo rango. Los datos se interpretan utilizando modelos de scattering y termo-físicos. El proyecto trabaja además en el análisis de las propiedades físicas de los núcleos cometarios y de las propiedades del polvo y el gas en las comas cometarias, muy especialmente en el estudio del polvo en las colas de los MBCs y de los mecanismos por los cuales se emite.
Este grupo mantiene diversas colaboraciones internacionales con otros grupos entre las que podemos destacar: (1) la pertenencia al Grupo de Ciencia de la misión de NASA OSIRIS-REx, en concreto al "Image Processing Working Group", en donde se encarga del tratamiento de los mapas de color que se están obteniendo actualmente con las cámaras OCAMS; (2) la pertenencia al núcleo central de proponentes de las misiones M5 de ESA CASTALIA, CASTAway y Hera; (3) la coordinación de un grupo internacional de estudio de NEAs llamado EURONEAR (European Near Earth Asteroid Research); (4) la pertenencia al "Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science" (CLASS, NASA); (5) la integración en el grupo de Sistema Solar de la misión Euclid; (6) la participación activa en los surveys J-PLUS y J-PASS, en los que trabaja en la explotación de las observaciones de objetos del Sistema Solar; (7) la pertenencia a los grupos de trabajo de Sistema Solar de los telescopios Gaia y JWST.
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Actividad científica
Publicaciones relacionadas
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JEM-EUSO observational technique and exposureDesigned as the first mission to explore the ultra-high energy universe from space, JEM-EUSO observes the Earth's atmosphere at night to record the ultraviolet tracks generated by the extensive air showers. We present the expected geometrical aperture and annual exposure in the nadir and tilt modes for ultra-high energy cosmic rays observation as aAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
The JEM-EUSO observation in cloudy conditionsThe JEM-EUSO (Extreme Universe Space Observatory on-board the Japanese Experiment Module) mission will conduct extensive air shower (EAS) observations on the International Space Station (ISS). Following the ISS orbit, JEM-EUSO will experience continuous changes in the atmospheric conditions, including cloud presence. The influence of clouds onAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
Performances of JEM-EUSO: angular reconstruction. The JEM-EUSO CollaborationMounted on the International Space Station(ISS), the Extreme Universe Space Observatory, on-board the Japanese Experimental Module (JEM-EUSO), relies on the well established fluorescence technique to observe Extensive Air Showers (EAS) developing in the earth's atmosphere. Focusing on the detection of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) in theAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
Performances of JEM-EUSO: energy and X max reconstructionThe Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO) on-board the Japanese Experimental Module (JEM) of the International Space Station aims at the detection of ultra high energy cosmic rays from space. The mission consists of a UV telescope which will detect the fluorescence light emitted by cosmic ray showers in the atmosphere. The mission, currentlyAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
Ultra high energy photons and neutrinos with JEM-EUSOUltra high energy photons and neutrinos are carriers of very important astrophysical information. They may be produced at the sites of cosmic ray acceleration or during the propagation of the cosmic rays in the intergalactic medium. In contrast to charged cosmic rays, photon and neutrino arrival directions point to the production site because theyAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
Science of atmospheric phenomena with JEM-EUSOThe main goal of the JEM-EUSO experiment is the study of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR, 1019-1021 e V), but the method which will be used (detection of the secondary light emissions induced by cosmic rays in the atmosphere) allows to study other luminous phenomena. The UHECRs will be detected through the measurement of the emission in theAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
JEM-EUSO: Meteor and nuclearite observationsMeteor and fireball observations are key to the derivation of both the inventory and physical characterization of small solar system bodies orbiting in the vicinity of the Earth. For several decades, observation of these phenomena has only been possible via ground-based instruments. The proposed JEM-EUSO mission has the potential to become theAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
The EUSO-Balloon pathfinderEUSO-Balloon is a pathfinder for JEM-EUSO, the Extreme Universe Space Observatory which is to be hosted on-board the International Space Station. As JEM-EUSO is designed to observe Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR)-induced Extensive Air Showers (EAS) by detecting their ultraviolet light tracks "from above", EUSO-Balloon is a nadir-pointing UVAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
Ground-based tests of JEM-EUSO components at the Telescope Array site, "EUSO-TA"We are conducting tests of optical and electronics components of JEMEUSO at the Telescope Array site in Utah with a ground-based "EUSO-TA" detector. The tests will include an engineering validation of the detector, cross-calibration of EUSO-TA with the TA fluorescence detector and observations of air shower events. Also, the proximity of the TA'sAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
Space experiment TUS on board the Lomonosov satellite as pathfinder of JEM-EUSOSpace-based detectors for the study of extreme energy cosmic rays (EECR) are being prepared as a promising new method for detecting highest energy cosmic rays. A pioneering space device - the "tracking ultraviolet set-up" (TUS) - is in the last stage of its construction and testing. The TUS detector will collect preliminary data on EECR in theAdams, J. H. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
The Rotation Period of C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) was observed around perihelion (2015 January 30) on 15 nights between 2015 January 21 and February 11 using the TADer 0.3-m astrograph telescope at Teide Observatory (IAC, Tenerife, Spain). Two large spiral jet structures were observed over several cometary rotations. A new method of searching for periodicities in the PA ofSerra-Ricart, M. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
Physical properties of the extreme Centaur and super-comet candidate 2013 AZ60We present estimates of the basic physical properties including size and albedo of the extreme Centaur 2013 AZ60. These properties have been derived from optical and thermal infrared measurements. Our optical measurements revealed a probable full period of ≈9.4 h with a shallow amplitude of 4.5%. By combining optical brightness information andPál, A. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
112015 -
On the Dust Environment of Main-Belt Comet 313P/GibbsWe present observations carried out using the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias and an interpretative model of the dust environment of activated asteroid 313 P/Gibbs. We discuss three different models relating to different values of the dust parameters, i.e., dust loss rate, maximum and minimum sizes of particles, power index of the size distributionPozuelos, F. J. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
62015 -
Rotationally resolved spectroscopy of dwarf planet (136472) MakemakeContext. Icy dwarf planets are key for studying the chemical and physical states of ices in the outer solar system. The study of secular and rotational variations gives us hints of the processes that contribute to the evolution of their surface. Aims: The aim of this work is to search for rotational variability on the surface composition of theLorenzi, V. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
52015 -
First EURONEAR NEA discoveries from La Palma using the INTSince 2006, the European Near Earth Asteroids Research (EURONEAR) project has been contributing to the research of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) within a European network. One of the main aims is the amelioration of the orbits of NEAs, and starting in 2014 February we focus on the recovery of one-opposition NEAs using the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT)Vaduvescu, O. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
52015 -
Possible ring material around centaur (2060) ChironWe propose that several short-duration events observed in past stellar occultations by Chiron were produced by ring material. Some similarities between these events and the characteristics of Chariklo's rings could indicate common mechanisms around centaurs. From a reanalysis of the stellar occultation data in the literature, we determined twoOrtiz, J. L. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
42015 -
The binary near-Earth Asteroid (175706) 1996 FG3 - An observational constraint on its orbital evolutionUsing our photometric observations taken between April 1996 and January 2013 and other published data, we derived properties of the binary near-Earth Asteroid (175706) 1996 FG3 including new measurements constraining evolution of the mutual orbit with potential consequences for the entire binary asteroid population. We also refined previouslyScheirich, P. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
12015 -
The infrared camera prototype characterization for the JEM-EUSO space missionJEM-EUSO (Extreme Universe Space Observatory on Japanese Experiment Module) is an advanced observatory that will be on-board the International Space Station (ISS) and use the Earth׳s atmosphere as a huge calorimeter detector. However, the atmospheric clouds introduce uncertainties in the signals measured by JEM-EUSO. Therefore, it is extremelyMorales de los Ríos, J. A. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
62014 -
Blending the distinctions among groups of minor bodies: a portrait of the Centaur-comet "transition" object P/2010 C1 (Scotti)Aims: We present a portrait of the active Centaur P/2010 C1 (Scotti), observed with a well developed comet-like activity (central diffuse coma condensation and an extended sharp tail-like structure) at the heliocentric distance of rh = 5.5 AU. Methods: We analyse multicolour (B, V, R, and I) images taken at the TNG telescope to characterise theMazzotta Epifani, E. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
52014 -
Rotationally resolved spectroscopy of (20000) Varuna in the near-infraredContext. Models of the escape and retention of volatiles by minor icy objects exclude any presence of volatile ices on the surface of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) smaller than ~1000 km in diameter at the typical temperature in this region of the solar system, whereas the same models show that water ice is stable on the surface of objects over aEmery, J. P. et al.
Fecha de publicación:
22014
