Speaker
Description
The binary asteroid (285263)1998 QE2 is one of the largest PHAs known, measuring 3.2km with a 800m satellite, with the last known closest approach to Earth of 0.039 au (~15 lunar distances) on May 31st, 2013. During the 2013 approach, high-resolution radar data was collected at the Arecibo Observatory and Goldstone helping with physical and dynamical characterization of the system. With the radar data, it was possible to obtain a 3D shape model for the primary and an approximate shape model for the moonlet, which is the highest level of information obtainable from radar observations. In this work, the derived shape model and the orbital elements information for the components are used to study the dynamical environment of the system by applying a methodology that is computationally efficient while preserving the accuracy of the model. Multiple asteroid systems can help to understand the formation mechanism and evolution of small bodies in the solar system. Understanding the dynamical environment around these systems could provide clues to the origin and evolution of these bodies and support future space missions.