Spectral alteration of the Meteorite Epinal (H5) induced by heavy ion irradiation: a simulation of space weathering effects on near-Earth asteroids

Giovanni Strazzulla (1) , Elisabetta Dotto (2) , Richard P. Binzel (3) , Rosario Brunetto (1) , Maria Antonella Barucci (4, 5) , A. Blanco (6) , Vincenzo Orofino (6)

1 INAF-OACt - INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania
2 INAF-OAR - INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma
3 EAPS - Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences [MIT, Cambridge]
4 LESIA - Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique
5 Pôle Planétologie du LESIA
6 Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Lecce

We present results obtained for Epinal (H5), an ordinary chondrite meteorite, irradiated with 60 keV Ar ⁺⁺ ions, simulating solar wind heavy particle irradiation. Bidirectional reflectance spectra (0.3-2.67 mum) measured after irradiating Epinal samples with different ion fluences exhibit a progressive reddening that is similar to the spread of spectra observed for S-type near-Earth asteroids. The timescales for inducing the same effects in space as those obtained in laboratory are estimated to be 10-10 yr. These results suggest irradiation by heavy ions may be a very efficient weathering process in near-Earth space.

Domaines: Astrophysique [astro-ph]

Giovanni Strazzulla, Elisabetta Dotto, Richard P. Binzel, Rosario Brunetto, Maria Antonella Barucci, et al.. Spectral alteration of the Meteorite Epinal (H5) induced by heavy ion irradiation: a simulation of space weathering effects on near-Earth asteroids. Icarus, 2005, 174, pp.31-35. ⟨10.1016/j.icarus.2004.09.013⟩. ⟨hal-03742983⟩