Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Nov 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009apj...706l..37v&link_type=abstract
The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 706, Issue 1, pp. L37-L40 (2009).
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
3
Minor Planets, Asteroids
Scientific paper
Binaries and multiple systems among small bodies in the solar system have received wide attention over the past decade. This is because their observations provide a wealth of data otherwise inaccessible for single objects. We use numerical integration to prove that the multiple asteroid system (3749) Balam is very young, in contrast to its previously assumed age of 0.5-1 Gyr related to the formation of the Flora family. This work is enabled by a fortuitous discovery of a paired component to (3749) Balam. We first show that the proximity of the (3749) Balam and 2009 BR60 orbits is not a statistical fluke of otherwise quasi-uniform distribution. Numerical integrations then strengthen the case and allow us to prove that 2009 BR60 separated from the Balam system less than a million years ago. This is the first time the age of a binary asteroid can be estimated with such accuracy.
No associations
LandOfFree
(3749) Balam: A Very Young Multiple Asteroid System does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with (3749) Balam: A Very Young Multiple Asteroid System, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and (3749) Balam: A Very Young Multiple Asteroid System will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1536094