A multi-domain approach to asteroid families identification

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new multi-domain method combining proper elements, SDSS-MOC4 colors, and WISE albedo data to improve asteroid family halo identification across the main belt.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach integrating multiple data domains to enhance asteroid family halo detection, leveraging recent WISE albedo data for better accuracy.

Findings

Effective identification of asteroid family halos with low interloper rates

High consistency between taxonomy and albedo of halo members

Applicable across the main belt, Hungaria, and Cybele regions

Abstract

Previous works have identified families halos by an analysis in proper elements domains, or by using Sloan Digital Sky Survey-Moving Object Catalog data, fourth release (SDSS-MOC4) multi-band photometry to infer the asteroid taxonomy, or by a combination of the two methods. The limited number of asteroids for which geometric albedo was known until recently discouraged in the past the extensive use of this additional parameter, which is however of great importance in identifying an asteroid taxonomy. The new availability of geometric albedo data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission for about 100,000 asteroids significantly increased the sample of objects for which such information, with some errors, is now known. In this work we proposed a new method to identify families halos in a multi-domain space composed by proper elements, SDSS-MOC4 (a*,i-z) colors, and WISE geometric albedo for the whole main belt (and the Hungaria and Cybele orbital regions). Assuming that most families were created by the breakup of an undifferentiated parent body, they are expected to be homogeneous in colors and albedo. The new method is quite effective in determining objects belonging to a family halo, with low percentages of likely interlopers, and results that are quite consistent in term of taxonomy and geometric albedo of the halo members.