Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Oct 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007dps....39.1601t&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #39, #16.01; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.439
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We approximate tidal evolution timescales for small (radius < 200 km), rocky bodies [1, 2] following a fission event, interpreted here as any process resulting in the placement of mass into orbit above the synchronous height, and explicitly calculate timescales for well-characterized systems. Binaries with nearly equal mass components orbit within 6 primary radii and have likely fully despun rapidly while smaller secondaries despin more slowly and end their tidal evolution at wider separations. The final separation of the components is limited by the conversion of spin to orbital angular momentum. Binary systems with separations beyond this limit require a different formation mechanism such as n-body capture.
The product μQ, where μ is the rigidity and Q is the tidal dissipation factor, combines the idealized elastic properties of the asteroid that affect the tidal strength. Since binaries in the Main Belt must evolve to their current configuration within the age of the Solar System, a binary near this limit would place an upper bound on μQ for the system. Precise orbit, density, and component size information are required because ten percent errors in primary radius and density can cause approximately 20 and 25 percent changes in μQ, respectively. Assuming μQ of 1011 N/m2, many near-Earth binaries, if produced through fission, have tidally evolved for longer than their typical dynamical lifetime of 10 My [3]. This implies that either these binaries were formed prior to injection into the near-Earth region or μQ is at least an order of magnitude smaller than assumed, which might occur for highly fractured or rubble pile bodies. The effect of a non-spherical primary is also analyzed.
[1] A. W. Harris and W. R. Ward, AREPS, 10, 1982.
[2] S. J. Weidenschilling et al., in Asteroids II, 1989.
[3] B. J. Gladman et al., Science, 277, 1997.
Margot Jean-Luc
Taylor Patrick Alan
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