Near-Earth and Main-Belt Asteroid Spectroscopy

UND Space Studies has supported several research projects to study the surface mineralogy of both near-Earth and main-belt asteroids. Past research projects have included an M-asteroid spectral survey, study of the Baptistina asteroid family, a survey of near-Earth asteroids, study of asteroids along the 3:1 Kirkwood gap, and pyroxene calibrations as a method of studying asteroid pyroxene surface chemistries. Observations utilize the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.