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3430 Bradfield

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Agnia asteroid

3430 Bradfield
Shape model of Bradfield from its lightcurve
Discovery 
Discovered byC. Shoemaker
Discovery sitePalomar Obs.
Discovery date9 October 1980
Designations
MPC designation(3430) Bradfield
Named afterWilliam A. Bradfield
(discoverer of comets)
Alternative designations1980 TF4 · 1974 HY1
1976 YS7
Minor planet categorymain-belt  · (middle)
Agnia
Orbital characteristics
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc43.93 yr (16,044 d)
Aphelion3.0293 AU
Perihelion2.4890 AU
Semi-major axis2.7592 AU
Eccentricity0.0979
Orbital period (sidereal)4.58 yr (1,674 d)
Mean anomaly102.11°
Mean motion0° 12 54 / day
Inclination4.4281°
Longitude of ascending node43.225°
Argument of perihelion278.60°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter8.492±0.263 km
Geometric albedo0.269±0.035
Spectral typeSMASS = Sq
Absolute magnitude (H)12.5

3430 Bradfield (prov. designation: 1980 TF4) is a stony Agnia asteroid from the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 9 October 1980, by American astronomer Carolyn Shoemaker at the Palomar Observatory in California. The Sq-type asteroid was named after comet hunter William A. Bradfield.

Orbit and classification

When applying the hierarchical clustering method to its proper orbital elements according to Nesvorný, Bradfield is a member of the Agnia family (514), a very large family of stony asteroids with more than 2000 known members. They most likely formed from the breakup of a basalt object, which in turn was spawned from a larger parent body that underwent igneous differentiation. The family's parent body and namesake is the asteroid 847 Agnia. In the 1995-HCM analysis by Zappalà, however, it is a member of the Liberatrix family (also described as Nemesis family by Nesvorný).

It orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 2.5–3.0 AU once every 4 years and 7 months (1,674 days; semi-major axis of 2.76 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.10 and an inclination of 4° with respect to the ecliptic. The body's observation arc begins with its observations as 1974 HY1 at Cerro El Roble Observatory in April 1974, more than 6 years prior to its official discovery observation at Palomar.

Naming

This minor planet was named after New Zealand-born Australian amateur astronomer and rocket engineer William A. Bradfield (1927–2014). A discoverer of several comets himself, he significantly increased the rate of discovery of bright comets from the southern hemisphere during the 1970s and 1980s. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 14 April 1987 (M.P.C. 11750).

Physical characteristics

In the SMASS classification, Bradfield is an Sq-subtype, that transitions between the common, stony S-type and Q-type asteroids.

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Bradfield measures 8.492 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.269.

Rotation period

As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of Bradfield has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.

References

  1. ^ "3430 Bradfield (1980 TF4)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  2. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3430 Bradfield (1980 TF4)" (2018-03-28 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Asteroid 3430 Bradfield – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  4. ^ Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68.
  5. ^ Nesvorný, D.; Broz, M.; Carruba, V. (December 2014). "Identification and Dynamical Properties of Asteroid Families". Asteroids IV. pp. 297–321. arXiv:1502.01628. Bibcode:2015aste.book..297N. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816532131-ch016. ISBN 9780816532131.
  6. Sunshine, Jessica M.; Bus, Schelte J.; McCoy, Timothy J.; Burbine, Thomas H.; Corrigan, Catherine M.; Binzel, Richard P. (August 2004). "High-calcium pyroxene as an indicator of igneous differentiation in asteroids and meteorites". Meteoritics and Planetary Science. 39 (8): 1343–1357. Bibcode:2004M&PS...39.1343S. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2004.tb00950.x. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  7. Zappalà, V.; Bendjoya, Ph.; Cellino, A.; Farinella, P.; Froeschle, C. (1997). "Asteroid Dynamical Families". NASA Planetary Data System: EAR-A-5-DDR-FAMILY-V4.1. Retrieved 19 March 2020.} (PDS main page)
  8. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 12 April 2018.

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