Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8137359 | Icarus | 2015 | 18 Pages |
Abstract
Eleven members of our sample show bifurcated radar echoes at some rotation phases; eight of these are high radar albedo targets. One interpretation of a bifurcated echo is a contact binary, like 216 Kleopatra, and several of our sample are contact binary candidates. However, evidence for other targets indicates they are not contact binaries. Instead, we hypothesize that these asteroids may have large-scale variations in surface bulk density, i.e. isolated patches of metal-rich and silicate-rich regions at the near-surface, possibly the result of collisions between metal and silicate-rich asteroids.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Space and Planetary Science
Authors
Michael K. Shepard, Patrick A. Taylor, Michael C. Nolan, Ellen S. Howell, Alessondra Springmann, Jon D. Giorgini, Brian D. Warner, Alan W. Harris, Robert Stephens, William J. Merline, Andrew Rivkin, Lance A.M. Benner, Dan Coley, Beth Ellen Clark,