(434936) 2006 TW124–2015 HB287: Is it Another Young Asteroid Pair?

Abstract

Each asteroid pair demonstrates strikingly the similar heliocentric orbit elements, suggesting a dynamical association. To date, more than 200 asteroid pairs distributing across a vast extent range from the Near-Earth region to the outer Solar System have been discovered. The studies on them reveal the asteroidal formation and evolution mechanism and provide us with an opportunity to understand the ongoing process of rotational fission of an asteroid parent driven by YORP effect. Especially, the young asteroid pairs are getting more attention, and at present, we find that the (434936) 2006 TW124–2015 HB287 system may be an additional young pairs. Using the backward integration method, various indicators suggest that this system age is likely less than 1 kyr since they began evolving into the asteroid pair phase. Such these young asteroid pairs maybe provide a wealth of clues to study the effects of space weathering, the rotational properties of small asteroids, and the clues on the evolution mechanism of multiple asteroid systems.