title: Dynamical configuration of binary near-Earth asteroid (66391) 1999 KW4.
abstract: Dynamical simulations of the coupled rotational and orbital dynamics of binary near-Earth asteroid 66391 (1999 KW4) suggest that it is excited as a result of perturbations from the Sun during perihelion passages. Excitation of the mutual orbit will stimulate complex fluctuations in the orbit and rotation of both components, inducing the attitude of the smaller component to have large variation within some orbits and to hardly vary within others. The primary's proximity to its rotational stability limit suggests an origin from spin-up and disruption of a loosely bound precursor within the past million years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan, 1320 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2140, USA. scheeres@umich.edu
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Scheeres
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Fahnestock
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ostro
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Margot
authors.forename: L A M
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authors.lastname: Benner
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authors.lastname: Broschart
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authors.lastname: Bellerose
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Giorgini
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magri
authors.forename: P
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authors.lastname: Pravec
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scheirich
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Jurgens
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: De Jong
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki