Spin Evolution of Asteroids

 

My Ph.D. thesis is studying the evolution of asteroids' spins. Different mechanisms can control and change their rotation periods by collisions with other asteroids, tidal forces that are imposed by planets encounters and even by the sunlight alone. My research is focus on the "YORP effect" that affects asteroids' structure and can disrupt them to smaller components.

·          On Spin Evolution of Asteroids

·          The YORP Effect

·          Detection of YORP on Asteroid (3103) Eger

·          Spin Rate Distribution of Small-Sized Main Belt Asteroids:

·          Paper at: Icarus 199, pp. 319-332.

·          A scientific lecture given at the Israeli Physical Society annual meeting, IPS 2008, Ben-Gurion University, Israel.

·          Separated "Pairs" of asteroids:

·          Press Release: Tel Aviv University astronomers reveal the nature of "separated pairs of asteroids"

·          Dynamics: age and distance determination

·          Photometry: evidence for rotational fission

·          From the literature

·          Links:

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