Near-Earth objects: Origins and need of physical characterization

Abstract

Important improvements have been made in recent years in understanding the likely origins of near-Earth objects (NEOs), and extensive observational campaigns are ongoing in order to assess their current inventory. From these studies we can hope to obtain a much better understanding of the different populations of minor bodies, their relationship with meteorites, and the overall history of the solar system. At the same time, NEOs are important also in terms of impact hazard. Both the purely scientific issues, and the more pragmatic point of view focused on the need of developing credible strategies of impact mitigation, require a major effort in order to improve the current knowledge of the physical properties of these objects.