Surveys, Astrometric Follow-up & Population Statistics

TL;DR

This paper reviews the history, current state, and future prospects of asteroid surveys, emphasizing their impact on asteroid science, the role of the Minor Planet Center, and challenges in follow-up observations amid increasing discovery rates.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of asteroid survey history, discusses recent improvements in data management, and highlights upcoming surveys and challenges in follow-up efforts.

Findings

US surveys dominate asteroid discoveries

Minor Planet Center has improved data management

Next-generation surveys will significantly advance understanding of small bodies

Abstract

Asteroid surveys are the backbone of asteroid science, and with this in mind we begin with a broad review of the impact of asteroid surveys on our field. We then provide a brief history of asteroid discoveries so as to place contemporary and future surveys in perspective. Surveys in the United States have discovered the vast majority of the asteroids and this dominance has been consolidated since the publication of Asteroids III. Our descriptions of the asteroid surveys that have been operational since that time are focussed upon those that have contributed the vast majority of asteroid observations and discoveries. We also provide some insight into upcoming next-generation surveys that are sure to alter our understanding of the small bodies in the inner solar system and provide evidence to untangle their complicated dynamical and physical histories. The Minor Planet Center, the nerve center of the asteroid discovery effort, has improved its operations significantly in the past decade so that it can manage the increasing discovery rate, and ensure that it is well-placed to handle the data rates expected in the next decade. We also consider the difficulties associated with astrometric follow-up of newly identified objects. It seems clear that both of these efforts must operate in new modes in order to keep pace with expected discovery rates of next-generation ground- and space-based surveys.