The Cool Surfaces of Binaries Near-Earth Asteroids
Abstract
We present results from thermal-infrared observations of binary near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). These objects, in general, have surface temperatures cooler than the average values for non-binary NEAs. We discuss how this may be evidence of higher-than-average surface thermal inertia. The comparison of these binary NEAs with all NEAs and rapidly rotating NEAs suggests a binary formation mechanism capable of altering surface properties, possibly removing regolith: an obvious candidate is the YORP effect.
--- Acknowledgments This research was carried out while Marco Delbo and Kevin Walsh were Henri Poincare Fellows at the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur. The Henri Poincare Fellowship is funded by the CNRS-INSU, the Conseil General des Alpes-Maritimes and the Rotary International -- District 1730.- Publication:
-
AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts #40
- Pub Date:
- September 2008
- Bibcode:
- 2008DPS....40.2508D