Episodes of particle ejection from the surface of the active asteroid (101955) Bennu

Lauretta, D. S.; Hergenrother, C. W.; Chesley, S. R.; Leonard, J. M.; Pelgrift, J. Y.; Adam, C. D.; Al Asad, M.; Antreasian, P. G.; Ballouz, R.-L.; Becker, K. J.; Bennett, C. A.; Bos, B. J.; Bottke, W. F.; Brozovic, M.; Campins, H.; Connolly Jr., H. C.; Daly, M. G.; Davis, A. B.; de Leon, J.; DellaGiustina, D. N.; Drouet d'Aubigny, C. Y.; Dworkin, J. P.; Emery, J. P.; Farnocchia, D.; Glavin, D. P.; Golish, D. R.; Hartzell, C. M.; Jacobson, R. A.; Jawin, E. R.; Jenniskens, P.; Kidd Jr., J. N.; Lessac-Chenen, E. J.; Li, J.-Y.; Libourel, G.; Licandro, J.; Liounis, A. J.; Maleszewski, C. K.; Manzoni, C.; May, B.; McCarthy, L. K.; McMahon, J.; Michel, P.; Molaro, J. L.; Moreau, M. C.; Nelson, D. S.; Owen Jr., W. M.; Rizk, B.; Roper, H. L.; Rozitis, B.; Sahr, E. M.; Scheeres, D. J.; Seabrook, J. A.; Selznick, S. H.; Takahashi, Y.; Thuillet, F.; Tricarico, P.; Vokrouhlicky, D. and Wolner, C. W. V. (2019). Episodes of particle ejection from the surface of the active asteroid (101955) Bennu. Science, 366(6470), article no. eaay3544.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aay3544

Abstract

Active asteroids are those that show evidence of ongoing mass loss. We report repeated instances of particle ejection from the surface of (101955) Bennu, demonstrating that it is an active asteroid. The ejection events were imaged by the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) spacecraft. For the three largest events, we estimated the ejected particle velocities and sizes, event times, source regions, and energies. We also determined the trajectories and photometric properties of several gravitationally bound particles that orbited temporarily in the Bennu environment. We consider multiple hypotheses for the mechanisms that lead to particle ejection for the largest events, including rotational disruption, electrostatic lofting, ice sublimation, phyllosilicate dehydration, meteroid impacts, thermal stress fracturing, and secondary impacts.

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About

• Item ORO ID
• 68479
• Item Type
• Journal Item
• ISSN
• 1095-9203
• Project Funding Details

• Funded Project Name	Project ID	Funding Body
  Not Set	Not Set	Royal Astronomical Society (RAS)
  Not Set	Not Set	UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

• Academic Unit or School
• Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) > Physical Sciences
  Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
• Research Group
• Astronomy
  Space
• Copyright Holders
• © 2019 The Authors
• Depositing User
• Benjamin Rozitis