R-type asteroid explained

R-type asteroids are moderately bright, relatively uncommon inner-belt asteroids that are spectrally intermediate between the V and A-type asteroids. The spectrum shows distinct olivine and pyroxene features at 1 and 2 micrometres, with a possibility of plagioclase. Shortwards of 0.7 μm the spectrum is very reddish.

The IRAS mission has classified 4 Vesta, 246 Asporina, 349 Dembowska, 571 Dulcinea and 937 Bethgea as type R; however, the re-classification of Vesta, the V archetype, is debatable. Of these bodies, only 349 Dembowska is recognized as being type R when all wavelengths are taken into account.

List

As of February 2019, at least 5 asteroids have been classified as R-type:^[1]

Notes and References

1. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: spec. type = R (SMASSII) |publisher=JPL Solar System Dynamics |url=http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb_query.cgi?obj_group=all;obj_kind=all;obj_numbered=all;OBJ_field=0;ORB_field=0;c1_group=OBJ;c1_item=Ax;c1_op=%3D;c1_value=R;table_format=HTML;max_rows=10;format_option=comp;c_fields=AcBhBgBjBiBnBsAiAx;.cgifields=format_option;.cgifields=obj_kind;.cgifields=obj_group;.cgifields=obj_numbered;.cgifields=ast_orbit_class;.cgifields=table_format;.cgifields=com_orbit_class&query=1 |accessdate=2019-03-17}}

   See also

   • Asteroid spectral types
   .