A basin-free spherical shape as an outcome of a giant impact on asteroid Hygiea

P. Vernazza; L. Jorda; P. Ševeček; M. Brož; M. Viikinkoski; J. Hanuš; B. Carry; A. Drouard; M. Ferrais; M. Marsset; F. Marchis; M. Birlan; E. Podlewska-Gaca; E. Jehin; P. Bartczak; G. Dudzinski; J. Berthier; J. Castillo-Rogez; F. Cipriani; F. Colas; F. DeMeo; C. Dumas; J. Durech; R. Fetick; T. Fusco; J. Grice; M. Kaasalainen; A. Kryszczynska; P. Lamy; H. Le Coroller; A. Marciniak; T. Michalowski; P. Michel; N. Rambaux; T. Santana-Ros; P. Tanga; F. Vachier; A. Vigan; O. Witasse; B. Yang; M. Gillon; Z. Benkhaldoun; R. Szakats; R. Hirsch; R. Duffard; A. Chapman; J. L. Maestre

doi:10.1038/s41550-019-0915-8

A basin-free spherical shape as an outcome of a giant impact on asteroid Hygiea

P. Vernazza, L. Jorda, P. Ševeček, M. Brož, M. Viikinkoski, J. Hanuš, B. Carry, A. Drouard, M. Ferrais, M. Marsset, F. Marchis, M. Birlan, E. Podlewska-Gaca, E. Jehin, P. Bartczak, G. Dudzinski, J. Berthier, J. Castillo-Rogez, F. Cipriani, F. ColasF. DeMeo, C. Dumas, J. Durech, R. Fetick, T. Fusco, J. Grice, M. Kaasalainen, A. Kryszczynska, P. Lamy, H. Le Coroller, A. Marciniak, T. Michalowski, P. Michel, N. Rambaux, T. Santana-Ros, P. Tanga, F. Vachier, A. Vigan, O. Witasse, B. Yang, M. Gillon, Z. Benkhaldoun, R. Szakats, R. Hirsch, R. Duffard, A. Chapman, J. L. Maestre

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Abstract

(10) Hygiea is the fourth largest main belt asteroid and the only known asteroid whose surface composition appears similar to that of the dwarf planet (1) Ceres^1,2, suggesting a similar origin for these two objects. Hygiea suffered a giant impact more than 2 Gyr ago³ that is at the origin of one of the largest asteroid families. However, Hygeia has never been observed with sufficiently high resolution to resolve the details of its surface or to constrain its size and shape. Here, we report high-angular-resolution imaging observations of Hygiea with the VLT/SPHERE instrument (~20 mas at 600 nm) that reveal a basin-free nearly spherical shape with a volume-equivalent radius of 217 ± 7 km, implying a density of 1,944 ± 250 kg m⁻ ³ to 1σ. In addition, we have determined a new rotation period for Hygiea of ~13.8 h, which is half the currently accepted value. Numerical simulations of the family-forming event show that Hygiea’s spherical shape and family can be explained by a collision with a large projectile (diameter ~75–150 km). By comparing Hygiea’s sphericity with that of other Solar System objects, it appears that Hygiea is nearly as spherical as Ceres, opening up the possibility for this object to be reclassified as a dwarf planet.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	136–141
Number of pages	33
Journal	Nature Astronomy
Volume	4
Issue number	2
Early online date	2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-019-0915-8
Publication status	Published - 2020
Publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

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Publication forum level 3

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics

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Vernazza, P., Jorda, L., Ševeček, P., Brož, M., Viikinkoski, M., Hanuš, J., Carry, B., Drouard, A., Ferrais, M., Marsset, M., Marchis, F., Birlan, M., Podlewska-Gaca, E., Jehin, E., Bartczak, P., Dudzinski, G., Berthier, J., Castillo-Rogez, J., Cipriani, F., ... Maestre, J. L. (2020). A basin-free spherical shape as an outcome of a giant impact on asteroid Hygiea. Nature Astronomy, 4(2), 136–141. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-019-0915-8

@article{e56969b944da46d281061c375cb7e959,

title = "A basin-free spherical shape as an outcome of a giant impact on asteroid Hygiea",

abstract = "(10) Hygiea is the fourth largest main belt asteroid and the only known asteroid whose surface composition appears similar to that of the dwarf planet (1) Ceres1,2, suggesting a similar origin for these two objects. Hygiea suffered a giant impact more than 2 Gyr ago3 that is at the origin of one of the largest asteroid families. However, Hygeia has never been observed with sufficiently high resolution to resolve the details of its surface or to constrain its size and shape. Here, we report high-angular-resolution imaging observations of Hygiea with the VLT/SPHERE instrument (~20 mas at 600 nm) that reveal a basin-free nearly spherical shape with a volume-equivalent radius of 217 ± 7 km, implying a density of 1,944 ± 250 kg m− 3 to 1σ. In addition, we have determined a new rotation period for Hygiea of ~13.8 h, which is half the currently accepted value. Numerical simulations of the family-forming event show that Hygiea{\textquoteright}s spherical shape and family can be explained by a collision with a large projectile (diameter ~75–150 km). By comparing Hygiea{\textquoteright}s sphericity with that of other Solar System objects, it appears that Hygiea is nearly as spherical as Ceres, opening up the possibility for this object to be reclassified as a dwarf planet.",

author = "P. Vernazza and L. Jorda and P. {\v S}eve{\v c}ek and M. Bro{\v z} and M. Viikinkoski and J. Hanu{\v s} and B. Carry and A. Drouard and M. Ferrais and M. Marsset and F. Marchis and M. Birlan and E. Podlewska-Gaca and E. Jehin and P. Bartczak and G. Dudzinski and J. Berthier and J. Castillo-Rogez and F. Cipriani and F. Colas and F. DeMeo and C. Dumas and J. Durech and R. Fetick and T. Fusco and J. Grice and M. Kaasalainen and A. Kryszczynska and P. Lamy and {Le Coroller}, H. and A. Marciniak and T. Michalowski and P. Michel and N. Rambaux and T. Santana-Ros and P. Tanga and F. Vachier and A. Vigan and O. Witasse and B. Yang and M. Gillon and Z. Benkhaldoun and R. Szakats and R. Hirsch and R. Duffard and A. Chapman and Maestre, {J. L.}",

year = "2020",

doi = "10.1038/s41550-019-0915-8",

language = "English",

volume = "4",

pages = "136–141",

journal = "Nature Astronomy",

issn = "2397-3366",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "2",

}

Vernazza, P, Jorda, L, Ševeček, P, Brož, M, Viikinkoski, M, Hanuš, J, Carry, B, Drouard, A, Ferrais, M, Marsset, M, Marchis, F, Birlan, M, Podlewska-Gaca, E, Jehin, E, Bartczak, P, Dudzinski, G, Berthier, J, Castillo-Rogez, J, Cipriani, F, Colas, F, DeMeo, F, Dumas, C, Durech, J, Fetick, R, Fusco, T, Grice, J, Kaasalainen, M, Kryszczynska, A, Lamy, P, Le Coroller, H, Marciniak, A, Michalowski, T, Michel, P, Rambaux, N, Santana-Ros, T, Tanga, P, Vachier, F, Vigan, A, Witasse, O, Yang, B, Gillon, M, Benkhaldoun, Z, Szakats, R, Hirsch, R, Duffard, R, Chapman, A & Maestre, JL 2020, 'A basin-free spherical shape as an outcome of a giant impact on asteroid Hygiea', Nature Astronomy, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 136–141. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-019-0915-8

TY - JOUR

T1 - A basin-free spherical shape as an outcome of a giant impact on asteroid Hygiea

AU - Vernazza, P.

AU - Jorda, L.

AU - Ševeček, P.

AU - Brož, M.

AU - Viikinkoski, M.

AU - Hanuš, J.

AU - Carry, B.

AU - Drouard, A.

AU - Ferrais, M.

AU - Marsset, M.

AU - Marchis, F.

AU - Birlan, M.

AU - Podlewska-Gaca, E.

AU - Jehin, E.

AU - Bartczak, P.

AU - Dudzinski, G.

AU - Berthier, J.

AU - Castillo-Rogez, J.

AU - Cipriani, F.

AU - Colas, F.

AU - DeMeo, F.

AU - Dumas, C.

AU - Durech, J.

AU - Fetick, R.

AU - Fusco, T.

AU - Grice, J.

AU - Kaasalainen, M.

AU - Kryszczynska, A.

AU - Lamy, P.

AU - Le Coroller, H.

AU - Marciniak, A.

AU - Michalowski, T.

AU - Michel, P.

AU - Rambaux, N.

AU - Santana-Ros, T.

AU - Tanga, P.

AU - Vachier, F.

AU - Vigan, A.

AU - Witasse, O.

AU - Yang, B.

AU - Gillon, M.

AU - Benkhaldoun, Z.

AU - Szakats, R.

AU - Hirsch, R.

AU - Duffard, R.

AU - Chapman, A.

AU - Maestre, J. L.

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - (10) Hygiea is the fourth largest main belt asteroid and the only known asteroid whose surface composition appears similar to that of the dwarf planet (1) Ceres1,2, suggesting a similar origin for these two objects. Hygiea suffered a giant impact more than 2 Gyr ago3 that is at the origin of one of the largest asteroid families. However, Hygeia has never been observed with sufficiently high resolution to resolve the details of its surface or to constrain its size and shape. Here, we report high-angular-resolution imaging observations of Hygiea with the VLT/SPHERE instrument (~20 mas at 600 nm) that reveal a basin-free nearly spherical shape with a volume-equivalent radius of 217 ± 7 km, implying a density of 1,944 ± 250 kg m− 3 to 1σ. In addition, we have determined a new rotation period for Hygiea of ~13.8 h, which is half the currently accepted value. Numerical simulations of the family-forming event show that Hygiea’s spherical shape and family can be explained by a collision with a large projectile (diameter ~75–150 km). By comparing Hygiea’s sphericity with that of other Solar System objects, it appears that Hygiea is nearly as spherical as Ceres, opening up the possibility for this object to be reclassified as a dwarf planet.

AB - (10) Hygiea is the fourth largest main belt asteroid and the only known asteroid whose surface composition appears similar to that of the dwarf planet (1) Ceres1,2, suggesting a similar origin for these two objects. Hygiea suffered a giant impact more than 2 Gyr ago3 that is at the origin of one of the largest asteroid families. However, Hygeia has never been observed with sufficiently high resolution to resolve the details of its surface or to constrain its size and shape. Here, we report high-angular-resolution imaging observations of Hygiea with the VLT/SPHERE instrument (~20 mas at 600 nm) that reveal a basin-free nearly spherical shape with a volume-equivalent radius of 217 ± 7 km, implying a density of 1,944 ± 250 kg m− 3 to 1σ. In addition, we have determined a new rotation period for Hygiea of ~13.8 h, which is half the currently accepted value. Numerical simulations of the family-forming event show that Hygiea’s spherical shape and family can be explained by a collision with a large projectile (diameter ~75–150 km). By comparing Hygiea’s sphericity with that of other Solar System objects, it appears that Hygiea is nearly as spherical as Ceres, opening up the possibility for this object to be reclassified as a dwarf planet.

U2 - 10.1038/s41550-019-0915-8

DO - 10.1038/s41550-019-0915-8

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85074713005

SN - 2397-3366

VL - 4

SP - 136

EP - 141

JO - Nature Astronomy

JF - Nature Astronomy

IS - 2

ER -

A basin-free spherical shape as an outcome of a giant impact on asteroid Hygiea

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