17089

Primitive classes of asteroids comma namely those of the B comma P comma D and C-complex types comma are not well characterized in terms of surface composition due to a lack of diagnostic spectral features at visible-near infrared (VNIR) wavelengths. This presents a critical problem because these are important objects due to their primitive nature and their links to early solar system processes. Indeed comma the upcoming Lucy mission will visit C-type asteroid Donaldjohanson and several Trojan asteroids (P and D type asteroids). However comma despite a lack of spectral features at VNIR wavelengths comma these objects do exhibit varying strengths of UV absorption comma as observed by the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) comma which may be related to volatile abundance and thermal history. We propose to observe 6 low-albedo class main belt asteroids to characterize them in terms of their UV spectral shape. We will test the hypothesis that a spectral trend with heliocentric distance should be present comma based on the changing thermal and compositional environment.