A dynamical dichotomy in large binary asteroids

TL;DR

This study reveals a dichotomy in large binary asteroid systems, linking primary shape and satellite orbit characteristics, suggesting two distinct formation pathways for these systems.

Contribution

It identifies a physical and dynamical dichotomy in large binary asteroids and proposes two separate formation mechanisms based on observational and modeling data.

Findings

Strong correlation between primary elongation and satellite eccentricity.

Evidence for two distinct formation pathways.

(762) Pulcova and (283) Emma exemplify the two groups.

Abstract

No less than 15% of large (diameter greater than 140 km) asteroids have satellites. The commonly accepted mechanism for their formation is post-impact reaccumulation. However, the detailed physical and dynamical properties of these systems are not well understood, and many of them have not been studied in detail. We aim to study the population of large binary asteroid systems. To do so, we compare the gravitational fields predicted from the shape of the primary body with the non-Keplerian gravitational components identified in orbital models of the satellites of each system. We also aim to contextualize these systems in the greater population of large binary systems, providing clues to asteroid satellite formation. We reduce all historical high-angular-resolution adaptive-optics (AO) images from ground-based telescopes to conduct astrometric and photometric measurements of each system's components. We then determine orbital solutions for each system using the genoid algorithm. We model the shapes of the system primaries using lightcurve-inversion techniques scaled with stellar occultations and AO images, and we develop internal structure models using SHTOOLS. Finally, we compare the distribution of the physical and orbital properties of the known binary asteroid systems. We find that differences between studies binary systems reflect an overall dichotomy within the population of large binary systems, with a strong correlation between primary elongation and satellite eccentricity observed in one group. We determine that there may be two distinct formation pathways influencing the end-state dichotomy in these binary systems, and that (762) Pulcova and (283) Emma belong to the two separate groups.