We present the first results of our survey of asteroid polarization-phase curves in the near-infrared J and H bands using the WIRC+Pol instrument on the Palomar 200-inch telescope. We confirm through observations of standard stars that WIRC+Pol can reach the 0.1% precision needed for asteroid phase curve characterization, and show that C-complex asteroids could act as an alternate calibration source as they show less wavelength variation than stellar polarized standards. Initial polarization-phase curve results for S-complex asteroids show a shift in behavior as a function of wavelength from visible to near-infrared bands, extending previously observed trends. Full near-infrared polarization-phase curve characterization of individual asteroids will provide a unique constraint on surface composition of these objects by probing the wavelength dependence of albedo and index of refraction of the surface material.
@article{arxiv.2203.15790,
title = {Asteroid Polarimetric-Phase Behavior in the Near-Infrared: S- and C-Complex Objects},
author = {Joseph R. Masiero and S. Tinyanont and Maxwell A. Millar-Blanchaer},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2203.15790},
year = {2022}
}
Comments
17 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in PSJ