Small asteroid system evolution

Abstract

Recently, the discovery of small unbound asteroid systems called asteroid pairs have revolutionized the study of small asteroid systems. Observations with radar, photometric and direct imaging techniques have discovered that multiple asteroid systems can be divided clearly into a handful of different morphologies. Simultaneously, new theoretical advances have demonstrated that solar radiation dictates the evolution of small asteroids with strong implications for asteroid internal structure. We review our current understanding of how small asteroid systems evolve and point to the future.