Other
Scientific paper
Sep 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.3402l&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #34.02; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.546
Other
Scientific paper
We present models of the shapes of four Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) and Trojan asteroid (624 Hektor) as triaxial equilibrium ellipsoids and Roche binaries (Chandrasekhar 1969). Our simulations select those figures of equilibrium whose lightcurves best match the measured rotational data, and include the effects of viewing angle and surface scattering properties. The best-fit shapes, combined with the knowledge of the spin period of the objects in question, provide estimates of their bulk densities. Three of the KBOs, 2000 GN171, 20000 Varuna, and 2003 EL61, are best explained as rotationally deformed ellipsoids with densities approximately 600, 1000, and 2550 kg/m3, respectively. KBO 2001 QG298 is best fit as a tidally deformed contact binary with density 650 kg/m3. Prototype contact binary 624 Hektor is examined in detail, taking advantage of voluminous data published for this object over a range of aspect angles; we estimate its density to be 2400 kg/m3. While model dependent, the inferred densities provide invaluable, and otherwise unobtainable, information about the internal structure of these objects. We compare our results with others published in the literature.
Jewitt David
Lacerda Pedro
No associations
LandOfFree
Densities from Lightcurves 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 Densities from Lightcurves, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Densities from Lightcurves will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1000363