Monolithic fast-rotating asteroids

We present an overview of the rotational properties of the monolithic fast-rotating asteroids. Currently, the periods and amplitudes of ~40 of these small asteroids have been measured. Periods for this population of objects range from 78 seconds (2000 DO₈), to the more sedate periods of 1995 HM and 2000 EB₁₄ (97.2 and 107.5 minutes, respectively). Though there are noteworthy exceptions, asteroids larger than H~22 typically spin more slowly than the critical limit for strengthless ellipsoids, and asteroids smaller than H~22 spin more rapidly than this critical limit. We will also discuss the implications of this work for target selection for spacecraft sample return missions to small asteroids.