Spin rate of asteroid (54509) 2000 PH5 increasing due to the YORP effect.
Radar and optical observations reveal that the continuous increase in the spin rate of near-Earth asteroid (54509) 2000 PH5 can be attributed to the Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect, a torque due to sunlight. The change in spin rate is in reasonable agreement with theoretical predictions for the YORP acceleration of a body with the radar-determined size, shape, and spin state of 2000 PH5. The detection of asteroid spin-up supports the YORP effect as an explanation for the anomalous distribution of spin rates for asteroids under 10 kilometers in diameter and as a binary formation mechanism.
Taylor
Patrick A
PA
Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801, USA. ptaylor@astro.cornell.edu
Margot
Jean-Luc
JL
Vokrouhlicky
David
D
Scheeres
Daniel J
DJ
Pravec
Petr
P
Lowry
Stephen C
SC
Fitzsimmons
Alan
A
Nolan
Michael C
MC
Ostro
Steven J
SJ
Benner
Lance A M
LA
Giorgini
Jon D
JD
Magri
Christopher
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