Abstract
MANY asteroids are known to have irregular shapes from their periodical light curves. These irregularities in shape are thought to be due to destruction in asteroidal collisions which occur at a mean relative velocity of 5kms−1. None of these asteroids has been directly pictured and the actual shape distribution of them is unknown. We examine here the shape of the fragments produced in laboratory high-velocity impact experiments between two solid bodies, and we find that the obtained shape distribution may be applied to asteroids of radius less than a few km.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Fujiwara, A., Kamimoto, G. & Tsukamoto, A. Icarus 31, 277–288 (1977).
Dunlap, J. L. Icarus 28, 69–78 (1976).
Dunlap, J. L. & Gehrels, T. Astr. J. 74, 796–803 (1969).
Dunlap, J. L. Astr. J. 79, 324–332 (1974).
Sather, R. E. Astr. J. 81, 67–73 (1976).
Zellner, B. Icarus 28, 149–153 (1976).
Johnson, T. V. & McGetchin, T. R. Icarus 18, 612–620 (1973).
Gehrels, T. Astr. J. 72, 929–938 (1967).
Pollack, J. B. et al. J. gcophys. Res. 78, 4313–4326 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
FUJIWARA, A., KAMIMOTO, G. & TSUKAMOTO, A. Expected shape distribution of asteroids obtained from laboratory impact experiments. Nature 272, 602–603 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/272602a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/272602a0
This article is cited by
-
Three-dimensional shape distribution of lunar regolith particles collected by the Apollo and Luna programs
Earth, Planets and Space (2022)
-
Laboratory experiments on agglomeration of particles in a granular stream
Progress in Earth and Planetary Science (2018)
-
Asteroid Ryugu before the Hayabusa2 encounter
Progress in Earth and Planetary Science (2018)
-
Lightcurve of asteroid Nereus
Earth, Planets and Space (2000)
-
Is Nereid a binary satellite?
Earth, Moon, and Planets (1989)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.