A Steady-State Model of NEA Binaries Formed via Tidal Disruption

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We present preliminary results of simulations of steady-state near-Earth asteroid (NEA) binary populations. This study combines the previous work on tidal disruption of gravitational aggregates [Walsh & Richardson 2006, Icarus 180, 201--206] with a Monte Carlo simulation of NEA planetary encounters. Evolutionary effects such as tidally induced binary circularization and widening, as well as binary disruption caused by close planetary encounters, are included. The results show that using the best known distributions of progenitor (small Main Belt asteroid) shape and spin distributions, and current estimates of NEA lifetimes and encounter probabilities, that tidal disruption accounts for approximately 1-5% of NEAs being binaries. Since the observed population is around 15% binaries, there is potentially one or more other important binary formation mechanisms at work. Our work also suggests that even a large pre-existing Main Belt binary population cannot explain the discrepancy. Finally, we present the expected distribution of binary orbital and physical properties for the steady-state population generated by tidal disruption and show that they match well with observations.

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