Disintegrating Asteroid P/2013 R3

Abstract

Splitting of the nuclei of comets into multiple components has been frequently observed but, to date, no main-belt asteroid has been observed to break up. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, we find that main-belt asteroid P/2013 R3 consists of 10 or more distinct components, the largest up to 200 m in radius (assumed geometric albedo of 0.05) each of which produces a coma and comet-like dust tail. A diffuse debris cloud with total mass ~2 × 10⁸ kg further envelopes the entire system. The velocity dispersion among the components, ΔV ~ 0.2-0.5 m s^-1, is comparable to the gravitational escape speeds of the largest members, while their extrapolated plane-of-sky motions suggest a break up between 2013 February and September. The broadband optical colors are those of a C-type asteroid. We find no spectral evidence for gaseous emission, placing model-dependent upper limits to the water production rate <=1 kg s^-1. Breakup may be due to a rotationally induced structural failure of the precursor body.