Critical Importance of Data Reduction Calibrations in the Interpretability of S-Type Asteroid Spectra

摘要

There is significant dispute concerning the interpretation and meteoritic affinities of S-type asteroids. Some of this arises from the use of inappropriate analysis methods and the derivation of conclusions which cannot be supported by those interpretive methodologies. The most frequently applied inappropriate technique is curve matching. Whether matching spectra from a spectral library or mixing end-member spectra to match the asteroid spectrum, curve matching for S-type spectra suffers from a suite of weaknesses that are virtually impossible to overcome. Chief among these is the lack of a comprehensive comparison set. Lacking a complete library that includes both the mineralogical variations and the spectrally significant physical variations (e.g., particle size, petrographic relationships, etc.), curve matches are plagued with potential unresolved ambiguities.