3567 Alvema

3567 Alvema, provisional designation 1930 VD, is a dark asteroid from the middle region of the asteroid belt, approximately 14 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle, on 15 November 1930.^[9] It was named after the discoverer's three great-granddaughters Aline, Vérionique and Martine.^[2]

3567 Alvema

Discovery [1]
Discovered by	E. Delporte
Discovery site	Uccle Obs.
Discovery date	15 November 1930
Designations
MPC designation	(3567) Alvema
Named after	(great-granddaughters of the discoverer)[2]
Alternative designations	1930 VD · 1930 XO 1930 XQ · 1967 SB 1972 VN1 · 1972 XC2 1972 YD1 · 1978 EP4
Minor planet category	main-belt · (middle)
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	86.53 yr (31,606 days)
Aphelion	3.6551 AU
Perihelion	1.9157 AU
Semi-major axis	2.7854 AU
Eccentricity	0.3122
Orbital period (sidereal)	4.65 yr (1,698 days)
Mean anomaly	238.05°
Mean motion	0° 12m 43.2s / day
Inclination	6.8229°
Longitude of ascending node	270.99°
Argument of perihelion	138.24°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	13.832±0.084 km[3] 13.98 km (calculated)[4] 14.531±0.076 km[5]
Synodic rotation period	8.1216±0.0001 h[6] 8.13±0.01 h[7]
Geometric albedo	0.031±0.002[3] 0.0467±0.0015[5] 0.057 (assumed)[4]
Spectral type	SMASS = Xc [1] P [5] · X [4]
Absolute magnitude (H)	12.5[5] · 13.0[1][4] · 13.36±0.04[8]

Orbit and classification

Alvema orbits the Sun in the central main-belt at a distance of 1.9–3.7 AU once every 4 years and 8 months (1,698 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.31 and an inclination of 7° with respect to the ecliptic.^[1] No precoveries were taken prior to its discovery.^[9]

Physical characteristics

The X-type asteroid is classified as a Xc-subtype on the SMASS taxonomic scheme,^[1] while the NEOWISE mission of NASA's space-based Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer groups it into the P-type spectral class.^[5]

Rotation period

In December 2014, a rotational lightcurve of Alvema was obtained from photometric observations by French amateur astronomer Laurent Bernasconi. It gave a rotation period of 8.13±0.01 with a brightness variation of 0.33 magnitude (U=2+).^[7] The asteroid's first lightcurve was reported by astronomer Darryl Sergison at the Gothers Observatory (J03) in the United Kingdom, from observations made in November 2009, showing a period of 8.1216±0.0001 hours with an amplitude of 0.17 magnitude (U=2).^[6]

Diameter and albedo

According to the survey carried out by NEOWISE, Alvema measures 13.8 and 14.5 kilometers in diameter and its surface has a low albedo of 0.031 and 0.047, respectively,^[3][5] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for carbonaceous asteroids of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 14.0 kilometers.^[4]

Naming

This minor planet was named by the discoverer after Aline, Vérionique and Martine (Al-Ve-Ma), his three great-granddaughters, Aline De Middlelaer, and Vérionique and Martine Wark.^[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 9 September 1995 (M.P.C. 25652).^[10]

References

1. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3567 Alvema (1930 VD)" (2017-06-03 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3567) Alvema". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3567) Alvema. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 300. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3566. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
3. Masiero, Joseph R.; Mainzer, A. K.; Grav, T.; Bauer, J. M.; Cutri, R. M.; Dailey, J.; et al. (November 2011). "Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE. I. Preliminary Albedos and Diameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 20. arXiv:1109.4096. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...68M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/68. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
4. "LCDB Data for (3567) Alvema". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 14 May 2016.
5. Mainzer, A.; Grav, T.; Masiero, J.; Hand, E.; Bauer, J.; Tholen, D.; et al. (November 2011). "NEOWISE Studies of Spectrophotometrically Classified Asteroids: Preliminary Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (2): 25. arXiv:1109.6407. Bibcode:2011ApJ...741...90M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/2/90. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
6. Sergison, Darryl (July 2010). "Lightcurve Analysis of Asteroids 3567 Alvema and 5421 Ulanova" (PDF). The Minor Planet Bulletin. 37 (3): 87–88. Bibcode:2010MPBu...37...87S. ISSN 1052-8091. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
7. Behrend, Raoul. "Asteroids and comets rotation curves – (3567) Alvema". Geneva Observatory. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
8. Veres, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; et al. (November 2015). "Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results". Icarus. 261: 34–47. arXiv:1506.00762. Bibcode:2015Icar..261...34V. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.08.007. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
9. "3567 Alvema (1930 VD)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
10. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 14 May 2016.

External links

• Astrosurf – Laurent Bernasconi
• Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
• Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Google books
• Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR – Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend
• Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (1)-(5000) – Minor Planet Center
• 3567 Alvema at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info
• 3567 Alvema at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters