The binary nature of this asteroid was suggested from radar observations taken with the Goldstone radar antenna on September 22 and 23, 2000, based on an observing proposal by J.-L. Margot and observations by S. J. Ostro and colleagues.[14] Confirming observations were obtained with the Arecibo telescope from September 30 to October 7, 2000.[15]
Orbit
2000 DP107 orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.9–1.9 AU once every 19 months (583 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.38 and an inclination of 9° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] The body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation, as no precoveries were taken, and no prior identifications were made.[1]
Binary system
The 800-meter-diameter primary and the 300-meter-diameter secondary orbit each other with a separation of 2.6 kilometers and a period of 1.76 days.[16]
The primary is spheroidal and is spinning at a rate near the breakup point for strengthless bodies. These two features were observed in multiple binary systems, suggesting that near-Earth asteroid binaries form by a mechanism involving spin-up and mass shedding.[16] Currently the most generally accepted spin-up mechanism is the YORP effect.
The density of the primary was calculated using the orbital elements of the binary system, the primary-to-secondary mass ratio, and estimates of the primary size. The primary has a low density of 1.7 g/cm3, which may indicate a "rubble pile" structure containing rocks and voids.
^ abNaidu, S. P.; Margot, J. L.; Taylor, P. A.; Nolan, M. C.; Busch, M. W.; Benner, L. A. M.; et al. (August 2015). "Radar Imaging and Characterization of the Binary Near-Earth Asteroid (185851) 2000 DP107". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (2): 12. arXiv:1503.01743. Bibcode:2015AJ....150...54N. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/2/54. S2CID85535751.
^ abcMarchis, F.; Enriquez, J. E.; Emery, J. P.; Mueller, M.; Baek, M.; Pollock, J.; et al. (November 2012). "Multiple asteroid systems: Dimensions and thermal properties from Spitzer Space Telescope and ground-based observations". Icarus. 221 (2): 1130–1161. arXiv:1604.05384. Bibcode:2012Icar..221.1130M. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.09.013. S2CID161887.
^ abPolishook, David (July 2012). "Lightcurves and Spin Periods of Near-Earth Asteroids, The Wise Observatory, 2005 - 2010". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 39 (3): 187–192. Bibcode:2012MPBu...39..187P. ISSN1052-8091.
^Skiff, Brian A.; Bowell, Edward; Koehn, Bruce W.; Sanborn, Jason J.; McLelland, Kyle P.; Warner, Brian D. (July 2012). "Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Asteroid Photometric Survey (NEAPS) - 2008 May through 2008 December". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 39 (3): 111–130. Bibcode:2012MPBu...39..111S. ISSN1052-8091.
^Warner, Brian D.; Stephens, Robert D. (April 2009). "Lightcurve Analysis of Two Binary Asteroids: (76818) 2000 RG79 and (185851) 2000 DP107". The Minor Planet Bulletin. 36 (2): 62–63. Bibcode:2009MPBu...36...62W. ISSN1052-8091.
^Pravec, P.; Kusnirak, P.; Hicks, M.; Holliday, B.; Warner, B. (October 2000). "2000 DP_107". IAU Circ. 7504 (7504): 3. Bibcode:2000IAUC.7504....3P.
^ abYang, B.; Zhu, J.; Gao, J.; Zhang, H. T.; Zheng, X. Z. (May 2003). "Observations of 2000 DP 107 in NAOC: rotation period and reflectance spectrum". Planetary and Space Science. 51 (6): 411–414. Bibcode:2003P&SS...51..411Y. doi:10.1016/S0032-0633(03)00024-2.
^Pravec, Petr; Harris, Alan W.; Kusnirák, Peter; Galád, Adrián; Hornoch, Kamil (September 2012). "Absolute magnitudes of asteroids and a revision of asteroid albedo estimates from WISE thermal observations". Icarus. 221 (1): 365–387. Bibcode:2012Icar..221..365P. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.07.026.