The aim of this action is to improve the networking of EU Member States assets by identifying and increasing the observation capabilities of European observing facilities that perform NEA physical observations. The activity shall include the actual implementation of the observations and the derivation of the physical properties like size, rotational state, taxonomy and composition of an asteroid.
These are crucial parameters to determine the possible effects in case of an impact on Earth, and will enable more in-depth research on both individual asteroids as well as the overall asteroid population in the solar system. Output from this process shall consist of the obtained observations and the derived physical properties.
The work in this activity will focus on the following areas related to the acquisition of NEO physical properties that inform planetary defence: Rotation, shapes and binaries obtained from light curve observations. Photometric colour measurements. Reflectance spectroscopy. Polarimetric observations.