Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Direct detection of the asteroidal YORP effect.

Stephen C Lowry1, Alan Fitzsimmons, Petr Pravec

  • 1School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK. s.c.lowry@qub.ac.uk

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|March 10, 2007
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The Lucy flyby of (52246) Donaldjohanson: A bilobed asteroid with tumbling rotation.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

A temperate Earth-sized planet with tidal heating transiting an M6 star.

Nature·2023
Same author

Orbital period change of Dimorphos due to the DART kinetic impact.

Nature·2023
Same author

Successful kinetic impact into an asteroid for planetary defence.

Nature·2023
Same author

Ejecta from the DART-produced active asteroid Dimorphos.

Nature·2023
Same author

The rotation of low mass stars at 30 Myr in the cluster NGC 3766.

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. International Astronomical Union·2020
Same journal

A native sulfur deposit in Gale crater, Mars.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Coordinated demise of harmful algal blooms.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Genetic effects put into context.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Bacteria share proteins to survive antibiotics.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Impacts shaped Earth's first continents.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same journal

Erratum for the Report "Covalently bonded single-molecule junctions with stable and reversible photoswitched conductivity" by C. Jia <i>et al</i>.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
See all related articles

The Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect provides direct evidence of altering asteroid spin rates. Precise observations of near-Earth asteroid 2000 PH5 show a continuous increase in its rotation, confirming the YORP effect.

Area of Science:

  • Solar System Dynamics
  • Asteroid Physics
  • Observational Astronomy

Background:

  • The Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect is a theorized mechanism influencing the rotation of small solar system bodies.
  • Previous evidence for the YORP effect has been indirect, lacking definitive observational proof.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide direct observational evidence of the YORP effect's influence on asteroid spin states.
  • To precisely measure the spin rate change of a small near-Earth asteroid.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted precise optical photometric observations of asteroid (54509) 2000 PH5 over a 4-year period.
  • Analyzed observational data to determine the asteroid's rotation rate and its change over time.
  • Performed dynamical simulations, including gravitational torque analysis and close Earth approach modeling, to rule out alternative explanations.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Observed a continuous increase in the rotation rate of asteroid 2000 PH5.
  • Quantified the spin rate increase as domega/dt = 2.0 (+/-0.2) x 10(-4) degrees per day squared.
  • Demonstrated that gravitational torques from Earth encounters could not account for the observed spin acceleration.

Conclusions:

  • The observed spin rate increase in asteroid 2000 PH5 provides direct evidence for the YORP effect.
  • Dynamical simulations support the YORP effect as the cause of the spin change.
  • Projected that asteroid 2000 PH5 may reach a rotation period of approximately 20 seconds in the future.