Asteroid Photometric Phase Functions From Bayesian Lightcurve Inversion

Photometry is an important tool for characterizing the physical properties of asteroids. An asteroid’s photometric lightcurve and phase curve refer to variation disk-integrated brightness in time angle (the Sun-asteroid-observer angle), respectively. They depend on shape, rotation, surface scattering properties, geometry illumination observation. We present Bayesian inversion methods retrieval function, unambiguous a spherical object with equal those asteroid. A collection such functions can give rise taxonomy In inverse problem, first, there are four classes lightcurves that require individual error models. The observations be absolute or relative they have dense sparse cadence comparison rotation period Second, extend over varying ranges, requiring different function Asteroid photometry from European Space Agency Gaia space mission extends, typically, range angles, where tends linear magnitude scale. ground-based observing programs reach small asteroids show opposition effect, nonlinear increase scale towards zero angle. provide models all make use linear-exponential angles below 50°. apply obtain magnitudes functions, uncertainties, ∼500 Finally, we assess problem help numerical simulation Gaussian-random-sphere