Asteroid taxonomy
Publication date: 01 January 1989
Authors: Tholen, D.J., Barucci, M.A.
Journal: Asteroids II; Proceedings of the Conference
Page: 298-315
Year: 1989
Copyright: University of Arizona Press
The spectral reflectivity of asteroid surfaces over the wavelength range of 0.3 to 1.1 micron can be used to classify these objects into several broad groups with similar spectral characteristics. The three most recently developed taxonomies group the asteroids into 9, 11, or 14 different clases, depending on the technique used to perform the analysis. The distribution of the taxonomic classes shows that darker and redder objects become more dominant at larger heliocentric distances, while the rare asteroid types are found more frequently among the small objects of the planet-crossing population.
Link to publication