Dawn at Vesta: Testing the Protoplanetary Paradigm

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1219381
• Publication Date: 2012-05-10T18:11:48Z
• Authors: C. T. Russell; C. A. Raymond; A. Coradini; H. Y. McSween; M. T. Zuber; A. Nathues; M. C. De Sanctis; R. Jaumann; A. S. Konopliv; F. Preusker; S. W. Asmar; R. S. Park; R. Gaskell; H. U. Keller; S. Mottola; T. Roatsch; J. E. C. Scully; D. E. Smith; P. Tricarico; M. J. Toplis; U. R. Christensen; W. C. Feldman; D. J. Lawrence; T. J. McCoy; T. H. Prettyman; R. C. Reedy; M. E. Sykes; T. N. Titus
• Keywords: Parent body; Protoplanet; Regolith

The Dawn spacecraft targeted 4 Vesta, believed to be a remnant intact protoplanet from the earliest epoch of solar system formation, based on analyses howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) meteorites that indicate differentiated parent body. observations reveal giant basin at Vesta's south pole, whose excavation was sufficient produce Vesta-family asteroids (Vestoids) and HED meteorites. spatially resolved mineralogy surface reflects composition meteorites, confirming formation crust by melting chondritic mass, volume, gravitational field are consistent with core having an average radius 107 113 kilometers, indicating internal segregate iron. Dawn's results confirm predictions Vesta support its identification as body HEDs.