# # Program information file # PROGRAM_ID 2024A005 PROGRAM_TITLE Taxonomic classification of Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt targets PROGRAM_INV1 Anicia Arredondo PROGRAM_INV2 PROGRAM_INV3 PROGRAM_INV4 PROGRAM_INV5 PROGRAM_SCICAT main-belt / Trojan asteroids PROGRAM_ABSTRACT_BEG The Emirates Mission to Explore the Asteroid Belt [EMA] is a main belt asteroid tour that will perform in-situ characterization of a large sample of primitive bodies. This IRTF proposal works in support of the science goals of EMA by providing initial characterization of the spacecraft targets by establishing more robust taxonomic classification. Establishing the taxonomic types of these asteroids will allow for hypotheses about composition to be made and will help to answer the EMA science question 'Are volatile-rich asteroids linked to specific meteorites?'. We request four hours to observe our three objects during dark time in the beginning of May. We will use SpeX in its low-resolution prism mode and the 0.8' slit to characterize the spectral features of EMA asteroids. We will combine these NIR spectra with visible information collected from SDSS, and compare our concatenated VNIR spectra to spectra of meteorites from the RELAB database to find potential matches. We will measure the depth and center of any absorption features present and use them to make inferences of composition [e.g., the relative ratio of the 1 and 2 um features are linked to silicate mineralogy]. PROGRAM_ABSTRACT_END