title: NEAR at eros: imaging and spectral results
abstract: Eros is a very elongated (34 kilometers by 11 kilometers by 11 kilometers) asteroid, most of the surface of which is saturated with craters smaller than 1 kilometer in diameter. The largest crater is 5.5 kilometers across, but there is a 10-kilometer saddle-like depression with attributes of a large degraded crater. Surface lineations, both grooves and ridges, are prominent on Eros; some probably exploit planes of weakness produced by collisions on Eros and/or its parent body. Ejecta blocks (30 to 100 meters across) are abundant but not uniformly distributed over the surface. Albedo variations are restricted to the inner walls of certain craters and may be related to downslope movement of regolith. On scales of 200 meters to 1 kilometer, Eros is more bland in terms of color variations than Gaspra or Ida. Spectra (800 to 2500 nanometers) are consistent with an ordinary chondrite composition for which the measured mean density of 2.67 +/- 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter implies internal porosities ranging from about 10 to 30 percent.
authors.affiliation: Space Sciences Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. Department of Geological Sciences, Northwestern University, 309 Locy Hall, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, 1110 Johns Hopkins Road, L.
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Veverka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murchie
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Izenberg
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harch
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carcich
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Domingue
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dunham
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farquhar
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gaffey
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lucey
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McFadden
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Merline
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Miller