Space Sci Rev (2011) 163:117–139 DOI 10.1007/s11214-011-9809-5 Surface Composition of Vesta: Issues and Integrated Approach

• Main Authors: Carle M. Pieters, Lucy A. Mcfadden, Thomas Prettyman, M. Cristina, De Sanctis, Thomas B. Mccord, Takahiro Hiroi, Rachel Klima, Jian-yang Li, Ralf Jaumann, C. M. Pieters, T. Hiroi, L. A. Mcfadden, T. Prettyman, M. C. De Sanctis, T. B. Mccord, R. Klima, J. -y. Li, R. Jaumann
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: South Pole; South pole
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.455.5635; http://www.planetary.brown.edu/pdfs/4374.pdf

© The Author(s) 2011. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract The instruments on the Dawn spacecraft are exceptionally well suited to char-acterize and map the surface composition of Vesta in an integrated manner. These include a framing camera with multispectral capabilities, a high spectral resolution near-infrared imaging spectrometer, and a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer. Three examples of is-sues addressed at Vesta are: (1) What is the composition of Vesta’s interior and differenti-ation state as exposed by the Great South Crater? (2) How has space weathering affected Vesta, both globally and at a local scale? and (3) Are volatiles or hydrated material present on Vesta’s surface? We predict that Dawn finds many surprises, such as an olivine-bearing mantle exposed near the south-pole, a weakly or un-weathered surface that has been rela-