Populations of the planet-crossing asteroids

Geologica Romana
By: , and 

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Abstract

The population of Apollo, Amor and Mars crossing asteroids is studied. With the 18-inch Schmidt camera of the Hale Observatories at Mt. Palomar, four new planet crossing asteroids were discovered.
A formal theory relating the probability of discovery of asteroid of a given orbital class to condition of search has been developed.
From the estimated populations the flux of the Apollo objects to magnitude 18 near the Earth is of the order of (0.4 ± 0.2) 10-14 km-2 yr-1. During 3.3 b.y. this flux produces an estimated 60 ± 20 craters of 10 km in diameter and larger per 106 km2 on the Moon. This number seems to be consistent with the observed crater densities on 3. 3 b.y. old mare surfaces in the eastern Oceanus Procellarum and Mare lmbrium.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Populations of the planet-crossing asteroids
Series title Geologica Romana
Volume 15
Year Published 1976
Language English
Publisher Sapienza Universita
Description 3 p.
First page 487
Last page 489
Conference Title International colloquium of planetary geology
Conference Location Rome, Italy
Conference Date September 22-30, 1975
Other Geospatial Mare Imbrium, Moon, Oceanus Procellarum
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