The Yarkovsky Effect in the Motion of NEAs
Yu. A. Chernetenko
Institute of Applied Astronomy of RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia
Abstract:
In this paper we evaluate the Yarkovsky effect on the motion of NEAs under
the assumption that this acceleration depends on heliocentric distance as 1/r2
and is characterized by the transverse component Α2 in the orbital
coordinate system. For 94 NEAs values of Α2 have been found with
errors less than 1.5 · 10-14 AU/day2. To evaluate
the Yarkovsky effect the model of motion should be as complete as possible.
In some instances the Yarkovsky effect can be estimated by using only optical
observations. Accounting for the Yarkovsky effect permits to include more
optical observations in the orbit fitting process. In determining asteroid
masses by the dynamical method it seems to be useful to combine it with Α2
estimates when a small, perturbed asteroid is used as a test particle.
Key words:
Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), Near Earth Objects (NEOs), Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs), motion of NEAs, Yarkovsky effect, heliocentric distance, the transverse component in the orbital coordinate system, optical observations, asteroid masses, the orbit fitting process, the dynamical method, a test particle.