http://arxiv.org/abs/1504.00034
In the past decade, the number of known binary near-Earth asteroids has more than quadrupled and the number of known large main belt asteroids with satellites has doubled. Half a dozen triple asteroids have been discovered, and the previously unrecognized populations of asteroid pairs and small main belt binaries have been identified. The current observational evidence confirms that small (<20 km) binaries form by rotational fission and establishes that the YORP effect powers the spin-up process. A unifying paradigm based on rotational fission and post-fission dynamics can explain the formation of small binaries, triples, and pairs. Large (>20 km) binaries with small satellites are most likely created during large collisions.
J. Margot, P. Pravec, P. Taylor, et. al.
Thu, 2 Apr 15
11/61
Comments: 30 pages, 12 figures. Revised version of chapter for the book ASTEROIDS IV
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