Asteroid rotation rates

Abstract

A trend of increasing mean rotational frequency with increasing diameter is noted in asteroids with diameters greater than 120 km, irrespective of M-, S-, and C-type asteroid subset and family or nonfamily membership. This trend cannot be accounted for by observational selection. For asteroids with diameters smaller than 120 km mean rotational frequency increases with decreasing diameter, but within this group there is a subset with exceptionally long rotational periods. This marked change in the distribution at 120-km diameter could separate primordial asteroids from their collision products. It is also noted that, for asteroids of a given diameter, M asteroids rotate faster than S asteroids, which in turn rotate faster than C asteroids. For all types, family members rotate faster than nonfamily members.