DISINTEGRATING ASTEROID P/2013 R3
DISINTEGRATING ASTEROID P/2013 R3
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DOI：
10.1088/2041-8205/784/1/l8
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发表时间：
2014-03
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
D. Jewitt;J. Agarwal;Jing Li;H. Weaver;M. Mutchler;S. Larson
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
D. Jewitt;J. Agarwal;Jing Li;H. Weaver;M. Mutchler;S. Larson
彗星核分裂成多个成分的现象经常被观测到，但到目前为止，还没有观察到主带小行星分裂。使用哈勃太空望远镜，我们发现主带小行星P/2013 R3由10个或更多不同的组件组成，其中最大的组件半径可达200米(假设几何反照率为0.05)，每个组件都会产生彗发和彗星状尘埃尾巴。总质量为∼2×108公斤的弥漫碎片云进一步笼罩着整个系统。ΔV∼0.2m-0.5m S−1各组成部分之间的速度弥散与最大成员的引力逃逸速度相当，而它们外推的天空平面运动表明2013年2月至9月之间发生了分裂。宽带光学颜色是C型小行星的颜色。我们没有发现气体发射的光谱证据，将水分产生速率⩽1 kg S−1设置为模型相关的上限。解体可能是由于前驱体旋转诱导的结构破坏。
Splitting of the nuclei of comets into multiple components has been frequently observed but, to date, no main-belt asteroid has been observed to break up. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, we find that main-belt asteroid P/2013 R3 consists of 10 or more distinct components, the largest up to 200 m in radius (assumed geometric albedo of 0.05) each of which produces a coma and comet-like dust tail. A diffuse debris cloud with total mass ∼2 × 108 kg further envelopes the entire system. The velocity dispersion among the components, ΔV ∼ 0.2–0.5 m s−1, is comparable to the gravitational escape speeds of the largest members, while their extrapolated plane-of-sky motions suggest a break up between 2013 February and September. The broadband optical colors are those of a C-type asteroid. We find no spectral evidence for gaseous emission, placing model-dependent upper limits to the water production rate ⩽1 kg s−1. Breakup may be due to a rotationally induced structural failure of the precursor body.