A VISIBLE SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY OF THE FLORA CLAN

We observed 47 Flora dan members at the ESO (European Southern Observa tory) in the wavelength range 4900-9200 Angstrom. We found 42 objects with common characteristics: a maximum around lambda = 7500 Angstrom a nd a reflectivity gradient spanning a continuous but limited range. On ly five objects show different spectral behavior (one is probably V ty pe). Looking for meteorite analogs, we only find four ordinary chondri tes that present features similar to those of the lower part of the Fl ora spectral distribution. This behavior is consistent as the conseque nce of some space-weathering process. (C) 1998 Academic Press.