The Sensitivity of NEO Surveyor to Low-Perihelion Asteroids

• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2404.15195
• Publication Date: 2024-04-23
• Authors: J. Masiero; Yuna G. Kwon; Dar Dahlen; Frank J. Masci; Amy Mainzer
• Keywords: Surveyor

Asteroids with low orbital perihelion distances experience extreme heating from the Sun that can modify their surfaces and trigger non-typical activity mechanisms. These objects are generally difficult to observe ground-based telescopes due frequent proximity Sun. The Near Earth Object Surveyor mission, however, will regularly survey down Solar elongations of 45 degrees is well-suited for detection characterization low-perihelion asteroids. Here, we use simulation software tools developed mission verification explore expected sensitivity NEO these objects. We find be >90% complete near-Sun larger than D~300 m. Additionally, if asteroid (3200) Phaethon underwent a disruption event in past form Geminid meteor stream, any fragments D~200 For probable models, would detect dozens on Phaethon-like orbits, compared predicted background population only handful asteroids, setting strong constraints likelihood this scenario.