The September edition of Icarus had zip (special issue- Mars). So… here’s September 15 (vol. 420):
Troianskyi, V. Godunova, V. Serebryanskiy, A. et al. Optical observations of the potentially hazar… Art 116146
Sicoli, P. Gorelli, R. Martínez, M. J. et al. New and improved orbits of some historical comets: 6TH… Art 116165
Storz, J. Reitze, M. P. Stojic, A.N. et al. Micro-FTIR reflectance spectroscopy of Ryugu, C chondr… Art 116189
Yang, W. Van, J. Sun, S. et al. Contribution of landmark-tracking data to the estimation of the gra… Art 116210
Yumoto, K. Tatsumi, E. Kouyama, T. et al. Comparison of optical spectra between asteroids Ryu… Art 116204
Gil-Hutton, R. Impact-triggered activation of (2060) Chiron during its 1972 and 2021 outbursts
Art 116209
Taylor, A. G. Steckloff, J. K. Seligman, D. Z. et al. The dynamical origins of the dark comets and a … Art 116207
Garcia, R. S. Fernández-Lajús, E. Di Sisto, R. P. et al. Photometric and numerical study of comet … Art 116206
Lund, D. Gatsonis, N. A. Han, D. Kinetic simulations of dust grain charging in experimental plas… Art 116212
(4660) Nereus is an intriguing object, a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA), the original destination of Hayabusa 1, and still a potential mission objective. Opposition (the point of the midnight sky, opposite the Sun) is a data opportunity, for multiple reasons.
Historical comets are always up for contention: those pre-scientific, pre-telescopic records are never settled by today’s standards, and at best we may link a modern comet to one of these old apparitions. Besides, just what did those pre-us people think?
The Storz and Yumoto groups tackle the continuing question: what, exactly, makes up these objects? In-hand meteorites don’t exactly match- meteorites must be ‘rocks,’ to enter our atmosphere, while asteroids are covered in various regoliths (powders to gravel). Meanwhile, different makeups will change differently during space weathering.
Risk-reduction for probe missions continues from general small-body science. The Yang, Gil-Hutton, and Garcia groups determine- to the extent possible today- what we can about what we would like to visit someday. And re: 311P/PANSTARRS: someday might be soon, per Yang et al.
Bit of an aside: Lund et al. consider the behavior of dust. Yes, dust. Not to be dismissed, it’s the beginning and end of small bodies, when particles accrete, and when a population grinds itself to bits and disperses.
Which brings us to Taylor et al. Hinted at previously, even published (briefly), the question of ‘carbonaceous asteroid’ or ‘weakly active comet’ is, again, not much of a question at all. The researchers hypothesize that the number of near-Earth ‘asteroids’ that are actually comets (at the ends of their lives) is far greater than we thought.