Physical Characterization of the Binary Asteroid 66146 (1998 Tu3)

Details Physical Characterization of the Binary Asteroid 66146 (1998 Tu3) Physical Characterization of the Binary Asteroid 66146 (1998 Tu3)

Jan 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011aas...21715612t&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #217, #156.12; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 43, 2011

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

The near-Earth asteroid 66146 (1998 TU3) was discovered on 1998 October 13 by the LINEAR NEO survey (MPEC 1998-U03). We obtained five nights of Bessel BVRI observations (2010 Aug 6,7,10,12,13 UT) and one night of Bessel R (August 8 PST) at the JPL Table Mountain Observatory (TMO) 0.6-m telescope near Wrightwood, California. These observations were obtained as part of our ongoing survey at TMO of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs), planetary radar targets, and low delta-V near-Earth asteroids (NEOs).
The object's rotationally averaged colors (B-R=1.238+/-0.011 mag; V-R=0.440+/-0.008 mag; R-I=0.275+/-0.010 mag) were found most compatible with an Sk-type spectral classification (Bus Taxonomy)/S-type (Tholen Taxonomy). This association was obtained through a comparison of our colors with the 1341 asteroid spectra in the SMASS II database (Bus & Binzel 2002). Our classification differs significantly from the Q-type taxonomy reported by Whitely (2002).
Assuming a solar phase parameter g=0.15 we performed a period search using standard Fourier techniques. We found a best-fit rotational period Psyn=2.378+/-0.001 hr, in excellent agreement with the 2.3779+/-0.0004 period determined by Richards et al. (2007). The dispersion in the phased single period lightcurve strongly suggests that 1998 TU3 is be a binary system, with variations in observed flux caused by an unresolved, tidally locked secondary companion. Fitting a 2-period model as described by Pravec et al. (2000), we found that our photometry agrees well with a binary model (P1=2.378+/-0.01 hr, P2=28.28+/-0.05 hr).
We have three additional nights scheduled for this object at TMO (Oct 8, 9, 10 2010 UT), extending our solar phase coverage and allowing us to refine our rotational models. 1998 TU3 will experience an exceptional apparition in 2012. This object may be a good candidate for shape/pole modeling via lightcurve inversion, especially if photometry can be obtained from both northern and southern hemispheres. We welcome any potential collaborations.

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