Photometry of meteorites

• Published in: Icarus (New York, N.Y. 1962) N.Y. 1962), 2012-03, Vol.218 (1), p.364-377
• Main Authors: Beck, P., Pommerol, A., Thomas, N., Schmitt, B., Moynier, F., Barrat, J.-A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Asteroids; Astronomy; Covering; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Mathematical models; Meteorites; Mineralogy; Photometry; Reflectance; Reflectivity; Sciences of the Universe; Solar system; Spectra; Spectroscopy; Wavelengths
• ISSN: 0019-1035; 1090-2643
• DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2011.12.005

► We measured the photometry of eight meteorites (chondrites, HED, lunar). ► A Shadow-Hiding Opposition effect is present for all studied samples. ► A redenning with phase angle is observed for all samples. ► Pyroxene band-depth can vary with phase angle of about 50%. ► The calculated IPF from the lunar sample compares well with that of the Moon. We have measured the bi-directional reflectance phase function on selected meteorite samples (1 howardite, 1 eucrite, 1 diogenite, Orgeuil (CI), Tagish Lake (CC), Allende (CV), Lunar meteorite (MAC 88105), Forest Vale (H4)) covering part of the geochemical and petrologic diversity expected for asteroid surfaces. Samples were measured as powders, for which we achieved reflectance measurements from phase angles down to 3°, and up to 150°, at five different wavelengths covering the VIS–NIR spectral region. The data were fitted by the photometric model of Hapke (Hapke, B. [1993]. Theory of reflectance and emittance spectroscopy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge). The physical sense of the retrieved Hapke’s parameters seems unclear but they permit to interpolate the data to any observation geometry. Strong opposition effects were observed for all samples. The absolute intensity of this effect appears moderately variable among our sample suite, and is not correlated with the average sample reflectance. We interpret this observation as Shadow-Hiding Opposition Effect (SHOE). In the case of samples presenting intense absorption bands (the Fe crystal field band at 1μm of HED and the ordinary chondrite), we observe significant dependence of band depth to phase angle, up to 70°, even for moderate variation of phase angle. In addition, a general trend of spectral reddening with phase angle is observed. This reddening, linear with phase angle, is present in all meteorites studied. This behavior is not predicted by classical radiative theories. We propose that small-scale roughness (of the order of or below the wavelength) may induce such a behavior.