Yarkovsky detection opportunities: II. Binary systems

We consider the possibility of detecting the Yarkovsky orbital perturbation acting on binary systems among the near-Earth asteroids. This task is significantly more difficult than for solitary asteroids because the Yarkovsky force affects both the heliocentric orbit of the system's center of mass and the relative orbit of the two components. Nevertheless, we argue these are sufficiently well decoupled so that the major Yarkovsky perturbation is in the simpler heliocentric motion and is observable with the current means of radar astrometry. Over the long term, the Yarkovsky perturbation in the relative motion of the two components is also detectable for the best observed systems. However, here we consider a simplified version of the problem by ignoring mutual non-spherical gravitational perturbations between the two asteroids. With the orbital plane constant in space and the components' rotation poles fixed (and assumed perpendicular to the orbital plane), we do not examine the coupling between Yarkovsky and gravitational effects. While radar observations remain an essential element of Yarkovsky detections, lightcurve observations, with their ability to track occultation and eclipse phenomena, are also very important in the case of binaries. The nearest possible future detection of the Yarkovsky effect for a binary system occurs for (66063) 1998 RO₁ in September 2006. Farther out, even more statistically significant detections are possible for several other systems including 2000 DP₁₀₇, (66391) 1999 KW₄ and 1996 FG₃.     

Photometry of Aten asteroids—More than a handful of binaries

Photometric observations were conducted on eight Aten near-Earth asteroids, with the goal of building physical models for the objects (85989) 1999 JD₆, (86450) 2000 CK₃₃, (86667) 2000 FO₁₀, (137170) 1999 HF₁, 1999 MN, 2000 PJ₅, 2002 JC and 2003 NZ₆. The results show rotation periods from 2.3 to almost 26 h. Some objects exhibit amplitudes higher than one magnitude on their lightcurves (1999 JD₆, 2000 CK₃₃ and 2003 NZ₆). Phase curve values (β, H^′, see below) were derived for four Atens and H-G values were found for two. Five Atens were classified by using their B-V and V-R color indices. This taxonomy was compared with the phase coefficient-albedo correlation defined by Belskaya and Shevchenko [Belskaya, I.N., Shevchenko, V.G., 2000. Icarus 147, 94-105]. Color variations during rotation and phase angle change were searched for. Our study demonstrates the high variety among Atens. Five out of the eight Atens are binaries or possible binaries, a significantly higher fraction than the expected 15% [Bottke, W.F., Melosh, H.J., 1996. Nature 281, 51-53]. The lightcurve of 2000 PJ₅ exhibits a binary character with a probable highly eccentric orbital rotation of the secondary component. The different periods of the known binary 1999 HF₁'s are easily detected. Other Atens have lightcurve with features such as high amplitude, V-shaped minima and U-shaped maxima that can be interpreted as a binary asteroid with a synchronous rotation (2003 NZ₆, 2000 CK₃₃ and perhaps also 1999 JD₆). The very red colors of 2000 CK₃₃ suggest a unique surface composition for this near-Earth object.     

Tumbling asteroids

We present both a review of earlier data and new results on non-principal axis rotators (tumblers) among asteroids. Among new tumblers found, the best data we have are for 2002 TD₆₀, 2000 WL₁₀₇, and (54789) 2001 MZ₇—each of them shows a lightcurve with two frequencies (full terms with linear combinations of the two frequencies are present in the lightcurve). For 2002 TD₆₀, we have constructed a physical model of the NPA rotation. Other recent objects which have been found to be likely tumblers based on their lightcurves that do not fit with a single periodicity are 2002 NY₄₀, (16067) 1999 RH₂₇, and (5645) 1990 SP. We have done a statistical analysis of the present sample of the population of NPA rotators. It appears that most asteroids larger than ∼0.4 km with estimated damping timescales (Harris, 1994, Icarus 107, 209) of 4.5 byr and longer are NPA rotators. The statistic of two short-period tumblers (D=0.04 and 0.4 km) with non-zero tensile strength suggests that for them the quantity μQ/T, where μ is the mechanical rigidity, Q is the elastic dissipation factor, and T is a spin excitation age (i.e., a time elapsed since the last significant spin excitation event), is greater by two to four orders of magnitude than the larger, likely rubble-pile tumblers. Among observational conditions and selection effects affecting detections of NPA rotations, there is a bias against detection of low-amplitude (small elongation) tumblers.     

A survey of orbits of co-orbitals of Mars

Many asteroids with a semimajor axis close to that of Mars have been discovered in the last several years. Potentially some of these could be in 1:1 resonance with Mars, much as are the classic Trojan asteroids with Jupiter, and its lesser-known horseshoe companions with Earth. In the 1990s, two Trojan companions of Mars, 5261 Eureka and 1998 VF₃₁, were discovered, librating about the L₅ Lagrange point, 60° behind Mars in its orbit. Although several other potential Mars Trojans have been identified, our orbital calculations show only one other known asteroid, 1999 UJ₇, to be a Trojan, associated with the L₄ Lagrange point, 60° ahead of Mars in its orbit. We further find that asteroid 36017 (1999 ND₄₃) is a horseshoe librator, alternating with periods of Trojan motion. This asteroid makes repeated close approaches to Earth and has a chaotic orbit whose behavior can be confidently predicted for less than 3000 years. We identify two objects, 2001 HW₁₅ and 2000 TG₂, within the resonant region capable of undergoing what we designate “circulation transition”, in which objects can pass between circulation outside the orbit of Mars and circulation inside it, or vice versa. The eccentricity of the orbit of Mars appears to play an important role in circulation transition and in horseshoe motion. Based on the orbits and on spectroscopic data, the Trojan asteroids of Mars may be primordial bodies, while some co-orbital bodies may be in a temporary state of motion.     

Lightcurve Analysis of Four New Monolithic Fast-Rotating Asteroids

We present lightcurves and analysis for four new monolithic fast-rotating asteroids: 2000 AG₆, 2000 DO₈, 2000 EB₁₄, and 2000 HB₂₄. Their rotation periods of 4.60, 1.30, 107.47, and 13.05 min place them well below the critical threshold for the rotation rate of strengthless prolate ellipsoids, as we demonstrate. These four objects join the five previously identified fast-rotating asteroids. The sharp segregation in spin rates between these nine objects and asteroids with more typical spin rates is somewhat puzzling. No observed objects larger than about 200 m spin with rates faster than the critical rate for strengthless prolate ellipsoids, while no objects smaller than 200 m have shown spin rates slower than this critical limit. We hypothesize that these small, fast-rotating objects are representative of the building blocks of the “rubble pile” asteroids and are in fact derived from impacts into already existing “rubble piles.”     

Radar observations of E-class Asteroids 44 Nysa and 434 Hungaria

We observed the E-class main-belt Asteroids (MBAs) 44 Nysa and 434 Hungaria with Arecibo Observatory's S-band (12.6 cm) radar. Both asteroids exhibit polarization ratios higher than those measured for any other MBA: Nysa, μc=0.50±0.02 and Hungaria, μc=0.8±0.1. This is consistent with the high polarization ratios measured for every E-class near-Earth asteroid (NEA) observed by Benner et al. [Benner, L.A.M., and 10 collegues, 2008. Icarus, submitted for publication] and suggests a common cause. Our estimates of radar albedo are 0.19±0.06 for Nysa and 0.22±0.06 for Hungaria. These values are higher than those of most MBAs and, when combined with their high polarization ratios, suggest that the surface bulk density of both asteroids is high. We model Nysa as an ellipsoid of dimension 113×67×65 km (±15%) giving an effective diameter Deff=79±10 km, consistent with previous estimates. The echo waveforms are not consistent with a contact binary as suggested by Kaasalainen et al. [Kaasalainen, M., Torppa, J., Piironen, J., 2002. Astron. Astrophys. 383, L19-L22]. We place a constraint on Hungaria's maximum diameter, Dmax?11 km consistent with previous size estimates.     

Near-infrared spectra of 12 Near-Earth Objects

We present a number of spectra of Near-Earth Objects taken in the period 1998-2003 with two different instruments (CGS4 and UIST) on the UKIRT telescope. Since observations with CGS4 require multiple spectral fragments to be observed sequentially and then spliced together we assess the reliability of this technique using comparisons between multiple observations of the same object, between observations of the same object with both instruments and with independent spectra of common objects. We conclude that while problems in the spectral splicing can occur, they are usually intuitively obvious and that overall our dataset is sound. The objects for which we present new spectral data are: 1627 Ivar, 4179 Toutatis, 5381 Sekhmet, (5587) 1990 SB, 6489 Golevka, (11405) 1999 CV₃, (14402) 1991 DB, 25143 Itokawa, (25330) 1999 KV₄, (52760) 1998 ML₁₄, (66391) 1999 KW₄, and (101955) 1999 RQ₃₆. Our results, together with albedo data from the literature, suggest carbonaceous compositions for 25330 and 101955. The available data for 14402 suggest it may belong to the relatively rare M class. Our analysis suggests an S or Sq classification for 52760 and a V classification for 5381 Sekhmet. For all remaining objects the UKIRT data are consistent with published spectral classifications. We find that only 3 of the 12 objects are not S/Q/V-class, which is roughly consistent with the results of Binzel et al. [Binzel, R.P., Rivkin, A.S., Stuart, J.S., Harris, A.W., Bus, S.J., Burbine, T.H., 2004. Icarus 170, 259-294]. Four spectra of Toutatis taken over a range of solar phase angles between 0.7°-81° and at intervals of several weeks are indistinguishable within the uncertainties and therefore do not reveal any evidence for phase reddening or surface variegation.     

The cool surfaces of binary near-Earth asteroids

Here we show results from thermal-infrared observations of km-sized binary near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). We combine previously published thermal properties for NEAs with newly derived values for three binary NEAs. The η value derived from the near-Earth asteroid thermal model (NEATM) for each object is then used to estimate an average thermal inertia for the population of binary NEAs and compared against similar estimates for the population of non-binaries. We find that these objects have, in general, surface temperatures cooler than the average values for non-binary NEAs as suggested by elevated η values. We discuss how this may be evidence of higher-than-average surface thermal inertia. This latter physical parameter is a sensitive indicator of the presence or absence of regolith: bodies covered with fine regolith, such as the Earth’s moon, have low thermal inertia, whereas a surface with little or no regolith displays high thermal inertia. Our results are suggestive of a binary formation mechanism capable of altering surface properties, possibly removing regolith: an obvious candidate is the YORP effect.We present also newly determined sizes and geometric visible albedos derived from thermal-infrared observations of three binary NEAs: (5381) Sekhmet, (153591) 2001 SN₂₆₃, and (164121) 2003 YT₁. The diameters of these asteroids are 1.41 ± 0.21 km, 1.56 ± 0.31 km, and 2.63 ± 0.40 km, respectively. Their albedos are 0.23 ± 0.13, 0.24 ± 0.16, and 0.048 ± 0.015, respectively.     

Mutual orbits and masses of six transneptunian binaries

We present Hubble Space Telescope observations of six binary transneptunian systems: 2000 QL₂₅₁, 2003 TJ₅₈, 2001 XR₂₅₄, 1999 OJ₄, (134860) 2000 OJ₆₇, and 2004 PB₁₀₈. The mutual orbits of these systems are found to have periods ranging from 22 to 137 days, semimajor axes ranging from 2360 to 10500 km, and eccentricities ranging from 0.09 to 0.55. These orbital parameters enable estimation of system masses ranging from 0.2 to 9.7×¹⁰¹⁸ kg. For reasonable assumptions of bulk density (0.5 to 2.0 g cm⁻³), the masses can be combined with visible photometry to constrain sizes and albedos. The resulting albedos are consistent with an emerging picture of the dynamically “Cold” Classical sub-population having relatively high albedos, compared with comparably-sized objects on more dynamically excited orbits.     

Results from the Eso Large Program on Transneptunian Objects and Centaurs

BVRI photometry of 107 TNOs and Centaurs establishes the range of spectral gradients to be between –5 to 55%/100 nm (with one exception). A cluster of very red Cubewanos is firmly identified in orbits of low inclination and eccentricity beyond 40 AU from the Sun. Further correlations between surface colours and dynamical parameters (inclination and perihelion distance) are suggested for Cubewanos and scattered disk objects, but lack complete confidence for their reality. Plutinos and Centaurs do not show any clear correlation between surface colours and orbital parameters. We present in this paper 12 spectra obtained in the visible region and nine of them for which we obtained also near infrared spectra up to 2.4 microns. A few other objects have been observed, but the data are still under reduction and analysis. The principal reported results obtained are: (i) a wide range of visible slopes; (ii) evidence for surface variations on 2001 PT₁₃; and (iii) possible detection of few percent of water ice (1999 TC_36}, 2000 EB₁₇₃, 1999 DE₉, 2001 PT₁₃, 2000 QC₂₄₃, 1998 SG₃₅).     

Seven Asteroids Studied from Modra Observatory in the Course of Binary Asteroid Photometric Campaign

We report lightcurves for five asteroids from the inner main belt—(1703) Barry, (2590) Mourão, (4022) Nonna, (5171) Augustesen, (23031) 1999 XX₇—and for two near-Earth asteroids—(100004) 1983 VA, (144922) 2005 CK₃₈—obtained at Modra Observatory as a part of binary asteroid photometric campaign. Estimated synodic rotational periods and amplitudes of their composite lightcurves were as follows: 107.1 ± 0.5 h, 0.5 mag for (1703) Barry; 15.59 ± 0.01 h, 0.49 mag for (2590) Mourão; 2.5877 ± 0.0005 h, 0.08 mag for (4022) Nonna; 474 ± 10 h, 0.8 mag for (5171) Augustesen; 3.075 ± 0.001 h, 0.43 mag for (23031) 1999 XX₇; 3.1643 ± 0.0009 h, 0.11 mag for (100004) 1983 VA; 4.7894 ± 0.0005 h, 0.27 mag for (144922) 2005 CK₃₈. The slow rotator (5171) Augustesen and possibly also (1703) Barry appear to be tumblers, though their precession periods can not be estimated from the available data.     

The two-body interaction potential in the STF tensor formalism: an application to binary asteroids

The symmetric trace free (STF) tensor formalism, developed by Hartmann et al. (Celest Mech Dyn Astron 60:139–159. doi:10.1007/BF00693097, 1994), is a nice tool, not much used in Celestial Mechanics. It is fully equivalent to the usual spherical harmonics but permits more elegant and compact formulations. The coupling between the gravitational fields of extended bodies with this formalism has been used in Mathis and Le Poncin-Lafitte (Astron Astrophys 497:889–910. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/20079054, 2009) for binary stars or planetary systems, but not yet applied to binary asteroids. However, binary asteroids are common in the Solar System and usually their study requires a full two rigid body approach. The formulation of the two-body interaction potential in the STF formalism in the full two rigid body problem is detailed and completed in this article. An application to the binary asteroid (66391) 1999 KW4 is presented with a comparison of our results with other results of the literature for validation.     

Orientation of the hipparcos frame with respect to the reference frames of the DE403/LE403 and DE405/LE405 ephemerides based on asteroid observations

Highly accurate observations of 116 asteroids are used to determine the orientation of the Hipparcos frame with respect to the reference frames of the DE403/LE403 and DE405/LE405 majorplanet ephemerides. These observations include the photographic observations of 15 asteroids obtained as part of the programs for observing selected asteroids and reduced to the Hipparcos frame using dependences, the space observations of 48 asteroids obtained by the Hipparcos satellite, and the presentday observations of 116 asteroid performed in the frame of the ACT catlog. The total number of observations used is more than 50 000 in the interval 1949–2007. Processing this series has yielded the following estimates of the orientation parameters: ω _x = 0.12 ± 0.08 mas yr^?1, ω _y = 0.66 ± 0.09 mas yr^?1, and ω _z = ?0.56 ± 0.16 mas yr^?1. This rotation may be attributable to a peculiarity of the transition from the reference frame of the DE200/LE200 ephemerides to that of DE403/LE403 ephemerides (since October 1, 1988, to J2000) that consists in the the assumption that the former reference frame has no rotation relative to the ICRF.     

The sources of the polar cap and low latitude bay-like disturbances during substorms

Examination of the polar cap and low-latitude bays during substorms shows that there are two types of disturbances, DP₁₁ and DP₁₂, which are different not only in their morphological features, but in their origin as well. The DP₁₂ disturbances are associated with pure ionospheric currents, whereas the DP₁₁ are though to be generated by the Birkeland type current system. This conclusion is based on examination of the following characteristics: (1) the seasonal changes of the DP₁₁ and DP₁₂ disturbances in the polar cap, (2) the seasonal variations of the low-latitude bay intensity at the conjugate points in the cases of the DP₁₁ and DP₁₂ disturbances, (3) the distribution of the intensity of the DP₁₁ and DP₁₂ disturbances in both northern and southern hemispheres along the midnight meridian.     

Rotation periods of binary asteroids with large separations – Confronting the Escaping Ejecta Binaries model with observations

Durda et al. (Durda, D.D., Bottke, W.F., Enke, B.L., Merline, W.J., Asphaug, E., Richardson, D.C., Leinhardt, Z.M. [2004]. Icarus 170, 243–257), using numerical models, suggested that binary asteroids with large separation, called Escaping Ejecta Binaries (EEBs), can be created by fragments ejected from a disruptive impact event. It is thought that six binary asteroids recently discovered might be EEBs because of the high separation between their components (～100 > a/R_p > ～20).However, the rotation periods of four out of the six objects measured by our group and others and presented here show that these suspected EEBs have fast rotation rates of 2.5–4 h. Because of the small size of the components of these binary asteroids, linked with this fast spinning, we conclude that the rotational-fission mechanism, which is a result of the thermal YORP effect, is the most likely formation scenario. Moreover, scaling the YORP effect for these objects shows that its timescale is shorter than the estimated ages of the three relevant Hirayama families hosting these binary asteroids. Therefore, only the largest (D ～ 19 km) suspected asteroid, (317) Roxane, could be, in fact, the only known EEB.In addition, our results confirm the triple nature of (3749) Balam by measuring mutual events on its lightcurve that match the orbital period of a nearby satellite in addition to its distant companion. Measurements of (1509) Esclangona at different apparitions show a unique shape of the lightcurve that might be explained by color variations.     

Keck observations of near-Earth asteroids in the thermal infrared

We present the results of thermal-infrared observations of 20 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) obtained in the period March 2000-February 2002 with the 10-m Keck-I telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The measured fluxes have been fitted with thermal-model emission continua to determine sizes and albedos. This work increases the number of NEAs having measured albedos by 35%. The spread of albedos derived is very large (p_v=0.02−0.55); the mean value is 0.25, which is much higher than that of observed main-belt asteroids. In most cases the albedos are in the ranges expected for the spectral types, although some exceptions are evident. Our results are consistent with a trend of increasing albedo with decreasing size for S-type asteroids with diameters below 20 km. A number of objects are found to have unexpectedly low apparent color temperatures, which may reflect unusual thermal properties. However, the results from our limited sample suggest that high thermal-inertia, regolith-free objects may be uncommon, even amongst NEAs with diameters of less than 1 km. We discuss the significance of our results in the light of information on these NEAs taken from the literature and the uncertainties inherent in applying thermal models to near-Earth asteroids.     

On the Family of the Binary Asteroid 423 Diotima

We identified the family of the binary asteroid 423 Diotima consisting of 411 members in the phase space of orbital elements—semimajor axes a (or mean motions n), eccentricities e, and inclinations i—by using an electronic version of the ephemerides of minor planets EMP-2003 containing osculating orbital elements for 34992 asteroids of the main belt. The 9/4 resonance with Jupiter clearly separates the family of 423 Diotima from the family of Eos, which, according to EMP for 2003, contains 1204 asteroids.     

The hierarchical stability of the seven known large size ratio triple asteroids using the empirical stability parameters

In this study, the hierarchical stability of the seven known large size ratio triple asteroids is investigated. The effect of the solar gravity and primary’s J ₂ are considered. The force function is expanded in terms of mass ratios based on the Hill’s approximation and the large size ratio property. The empirical stability parameters are used to examine the hierarchical stability of the triple asteroids. It is found that the all the known large size ratio triple asteroid systems are hierarchically stable. This study provides useful information for future evolutions of the triple asteroids.     

Asteroids (65) Cybele, (107) Camilla and (121) Hermione: Infrared spectral diversity among the Cybeles

We find a clear diversity in the 3 μm and 10 μm features of three Cybele asteroids: (107) Camilla, (121) Hermione, and (65) Cybele. (121) Hermione exhibits a “check-like” 3 μm feature, which may be attributed to OH-dominated minerals and (107) Camilla shows a rounded “bowl” like feature closer to that of (65) Cybele, which may be attributed to H₂O-dominated minerals. The 10 μm features of these three asteroids are also different from each other.     

Instability of the 2+2 body problem

The equations of motion of the 2+2 body problem (two interacting particles in the gravitational field of two much more massive primaries m₁ and m₂ in circular keplerian orbit) have an integral analogous to the Jacobi integral of the circular 2+1 body problem. We show here that with 2+2 bodies this integral does not give rise to Hill stability, i.e. to confinement for all time in a portion of the configuration space not allowing for some close approaches to occur. This is because all the level manifolds are connected and all exchanges of bodies between the regions surroundingm ₁,m ₂ and infinity do not contradict the conservation of the integral. However, it is worth stressing that some of these exchanges are physically meaningless, because they involve either unlimited extraction of potential energy from the binary formed by the small bodies (without taking into account their physical size) or significant mutual perturbations between the small masses without close approach, a process requiring, for the Sun-Jupiter-two asteroids system, timescales longer than the age of the Solar System.