Smallest main-belt asteroids ever detected found hiding in JWST data

JWST data reveals the smallest main-belt asteroids ever detected using new processing techniques.

: Researchers using JWST data have identified asteroids as small as 10 meters in the main belt. This discovery, led by Artem Burdanov and Julien de Wit, used advanced processing algorithms and synthetic tracking. Their work, detailed in a Nature paper, uncovered 138 asteroids no bigger than 100 meters. The technique involved stacking infrared images and utilizing GPUs for computation.

Scientists have successfully detected some of the smallest main-belt asteroids using the JWST and cutting-edge image processing techniques. These asteroids, which can be just 10 meters in diameter, originate between Mars and Jupiter but can pose a threat to Earth as they are susceptible to sunlight and thermal effects altering their trajectories.

The research team, led by MIT's Artem Burdanov and Julien de Wit, employed synthetic tracking methods to identify these tiny asteroids. By processing 93.5 hours of JWST observations of the TRAPPIST-1 system, they discovered 138 asteroids smaller than 100 meters—an impressive feat that could enhance monitoring of potential near-Earth objects.

The scientists utilized infrared-sensing telescopes, which are more suited for spotting small, dark asteroids. Their findings contribute to understanding an unexplored population of asteroids formed from larger bodies fragmenting, showcasing the potential of modern technology when data is viewed from a new perspective.

Asteroid detectionSynthetic trackingastronomy