The shape of 433 eros from the NEAR-shoemaker laser rangefinder
Measurements from the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR)-Shoemaker Laser Rangefinder (NLR) indicate that asteroid 433 Eros is a consolidated body with a complex shape dominated by collisions. The offset between the asteroid's center of mass and center of figure indicates a small deviation from a homogeneous internal structure that is most simply explained by variations in mechanical structure. Regional-scale relief and slope distributions show evidence for control of topography by a competent substrate. Impact crater morphology is influenced by both gravity and structural control. Small-scale topography reveals ridges and grooves that may be generated by impact-related fracturing.
Zuber
MT
Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. Earth Sciences Directorate, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. Johns Hopkins Univer.
Smith
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Cheng
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Garvin
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Aharonson
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Cole
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Dunn
PJ
Guo
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Lemoine
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Neumann
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Rowlands
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Torrence
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