58097 Alimov (provisional designation 1976 UQ1) is a background asteroid and relatively slow rotator from the central region of the asteroid belt, approximately 4 kilometers in diameter.

58097 Alimov
Discovery [1]
Discovered byT. Smirnova
Discovery siteCrimean Astrophysical Obs.
Discovery date26 October 1976
Designations
(58097) Alimov
Named after
Alexandr Alimov
(Russian ecologist)[2]
1976 UQ1 · 1976 WO
2001 TE43
main-belt · (middle)[3]
background
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc39.71 yr (14,505 days)
Aphelion3.2371 AU
Perihelion1.8969 AU
2.5670 AU
Eccentricity0.2610
4.11 yr (1,502 days)
328.57°
0° 14m 22.56s / day
Inclination12.925°
34.267°
11.288°
Physical characteristics
3.67 km (calculated)[3]
3.910±0.040 km[4]
4.009±0.047 km[5]
78.1729±0.3152 h[6]
0.136±0.026[5]
0.1524±0.0237[4]
0.20 (assumed)[3]
S (assumed)[3]
14.093±0.001 (R)[6] · 14.2[1] · 14.54[3] · 14.7[4]

The asteroid was discovered on 26 October 1976, by Russian astronomer Tamara Smirnova at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnyj, on the Crimean peninsula.[7] It was later named after Russian ecologist Alexandr Alimov.[2]

Orbit and classification

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Alimov is a non-family from the main belt's background population. It orbits the Sun in the central asteroid belt at a distance of 1.9–3.2 AU once every 4 years and 1 month (1,502 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.26 and an inclination of 13° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]

The asteroid's observation arc begins just 4 days prior to its official discovery observation, with a precovery taken at the Japanese Kiso Observatory on 22 October 1976.[7]

Physical characteristics

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Lightcurves

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In October 2013, a rotational lightcurve of Alimov was obtained from photometric observations made by astronomers at the Palomar Transient Factory in California. It gave a relatively long rotation period of 78.1729 hours with a brightness variation of 0.26 magnitude (U=2).[6]

Diameter and albedo

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According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's space-based Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Alimov measures 3.9 and 4.0 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.136 and 0.152, respectively.[4][5] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 3.7 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 14.54.[3]

Naming

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This minor planet was named after Russian ecologist Alexandr Fyodorovich Alimov (born 1933), president of the Hydrobiological Society and founder of the Russian School of Functional Ecology.[2]

Alimov is known for his theoretical and experimental work on aquatic ecosystems and for the study on the prevention of ecological crisis.[2] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 6 March 2004 (M.P.C. 51190).[8] (Alexandr Fyodorovich Alimov should not be confused with Aleksandr Fyodorovich Akimov, who worked at Chernobyl during the nuclear accident).

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 58097 Alimov (1976 UQ1)" (2016-07-09 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Schmadel, Lutz D. (2006). "(58097) Alimov [2.57, 0.26, 12.9]". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (58097) Alimov, Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2003–2005. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 221. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-34361-5_2625. ISBN 978-3-540-34361-5.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "LCDB Data for (58097) Alimov". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d 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 12 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b c 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 6 November 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Waszczak, Adam; Chang, Chan-Kao; Ofek, Eran O.; Laher, Russ; Masci, Frank; Levitan, David; et al. (September 2015). "Asteroid Light Curves from the Palomar Transient Factory Survey: Rotation Periods and Phase Functions from Sparse Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (3): 35. arXiv:1504.04041. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...75W. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/75. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  7. ^ a b "58097 Alimov (1976 UQ1)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  8. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
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