Radar Imaging of Binary Near-Earth Asteroid (66391) 1999 KW4

DOI Web Site 11 Citations
  • Steven. J. Ostro
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Jean-Luc Margot
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Lance A. M. Benner
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Jon D. Giorgini
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Daniel J. Scheeres
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Eugene G. Fahnestock
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Stephen B. Broschart
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Julie Bellerose
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Michael C. Nolan
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Christopher Magri
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Petr Pravec
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Petr Scheirich
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Randy Rose
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Raymond F. Jurgens
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Eric M. De Jong
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.
  • Shigeru Suzuki
    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA.

Description

<jats:p>High-resolution radar images reveal near-Earth asteroid (66391) 1999 KW4 to be a binary system. The ∼1.5-kilometer-diameter primary (Alpha) is an unconsolidated gravitational aggregate with a spin period ∼2.8 hours, bulk density ∼2 grams per cubic centimeter, porosity ∼50%, and an oblate shape dominated by an equatorial ridge at the object's potential-energy minimum. The ∼0.5-kilometer secondary (Beta) is elongated and probably is denser than Alpha. Its average orbit about Alpha is circular with a radius ∼2.5 kilometers and period ∼17.4 hours, and its average rotation is synchronous with the long axis pointed toward Alpha, but librational departures from that orientation are evident. Exotic physical and dynamical properties may be common among near-Earth binaries.</jats:p>

Journal

  • Science

    Science 314 (5803), 1276-1280, 2006-11-24

    American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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