3. Fragmentation of Asteroids and Delivery of Fragments to Earth

Abstract

Earth-impacting meteoroids are derived from both comets and asteroids, and some uncertainty still exists regarding with which of these bodies some stone meteorites should be identified. In contrast, the long cosmic ray exposure ages of iron meteorites strongly suggest a long-lived asteroidal source capable of providing ~108g/yr of this material to the earth’s surface over at least much of solar system history. Spectrophotometric data show that differentiated asteroids are concentrated in the inner portion of the asteroid belt. The orbital histories of fragments of inner belt asteroids are investigated, considering the combined effects of close planetary encounters, secular perturbations, and secular resonances. Particular attention is given to the low inclination (<15°) objects with small semimajcr axis (2.1 to 2.6 A.U.), which can make fairly close approaches to Mars (<0.1 A.U.). It is found that the annual yield and dynamical lifetime of collision fragments of these asteroids is in agreement with the observed impact rate and exposure age of iron meteorites. A smaller yield of stone meteorites (-107g/yr) is expected, because elimination of these objects by collision is probable on the long dynamical time scaTe. Achondrites could be produced in this way; the yield is probably too low to account for chondrites. Chondrites could possibly be derived indirectly from these bodies insofar as these asteroids are also sources of Apollo and Amor objects.