Fourier analysis of the lightcurves of 53 known pole asteroids

The Fourier coefficients of 254 composite lightcurves of 53 asteroids are analysed, continuing a previous work (Barucci et al., Icarus 78, 311–322, 1989), with the aim of inferring asteroidal shapes and possible albedo variegations. Coefficients are obtained only from good quality photometric data of asteroids for which a reliable estimate of the orientation of the spin axis is available. For each of the 53 asteroids an indicative shape is derived, on the basis of the coefficients resulting from the Fourier analysis. The shapes determined for 243 Ida and 951 Gaspra are confirmed by the Galileo images. Most of the analysed asteroids show a quasi-regular shape, probably due to a bias on the diameters of the sample; the remaining part, having smaller diameters, seems to show an irregular shape. The obtained results cannot be interpreted in a statistical sense but they can constitute a promising starting point for the understanding of the evolution of asteroidal population.