One extreme case corresponds to (267223) 2001 DQ8 which has a surface temperature at perihelion (at a heliocentric distance of 0.18 astronomical units) of about 625 K, but when it reaches aphelion at 3.5 astronomical units from the Sun, the temperature drops to 150 K. This large temperature variation leads to thermal fatigue followed by thermal fragmentation.
Motivated by reasons of space exploration, this team of astronomers observed 31 possible targets for space missions. They included the asteroids (459872) 2014 EK24, (436724) 2011 UW158, and (67367) 2000 LY27, which are suitable for sample return exploration.
In particular, the most interesting of these is the A-type asteroid (67367) 2000 LY27. It has an olivine rich composition which may have formed in the mantle of a large body. Thus, it may represent a good opportunity for studying fragments coming from planetesimals that differentiated (a process defined as the separation of distinct layers forming an iron nucleus, a silicate mantle and a basaltic crust) in the early history of the Solar System.
Finally, 27 asteroids which are potentially hazardous (these celestial bodies show a long-term risk of colliding with our planet) were characterised. The mitigation strategy depends very much on their physical properties, so spectral data were obtained to determine their compositions.
More information:
M. Popescu, O. Vaduvescu, J. de León, R. M. Gherase, J. Licandro, I. L. Boaca, A. B. Sonka, R. P. Ashley, T. Mocnik, D. Morate, M. Predatu, M. De Pra, C. Fariña, H. Stoev, M. Díaz Alfaro, I. Ordóñez-Etxeberría, F. López-Martínez, and R. Errmann, 2019, "Near-Earth asteroids spectroscopic survey at Isaac Newton Telescope", A&A, 627, A124 [ NASA ADS ].