Minor Planets

Minor Planets

Minor Planets

The distribution and chemical composition of asteroids is one of the most significant measurements of their formation and evolutionary histories, but it is also one of the most difficult quantities to be measured due the selection effects. The use of asteroid colors opened a new window for studies of the origin and evolution of asteroids. This idea was carried out recently using the 5 filters of the SDSS “Moving Object Catalog” showing very promising results in the area (Parker et al. 2008, Icarus, 198, 138; Carvano et al. 2010). The system of 56 filters of J-PAS camera will allow to extend this study enormously, basically getting entire spectra of each asteroid, leading the exploration of this new scientific window to a new level.