Origin of slow-rotating minor bodies by tidal decoupling of binary pairs

Abstract

In this paper, we show that the decoupling of binary pairs by tidal interaction and Kozai oscillations acting together can generate single objects in a slow-rotation-rate state. This mechanism has the merit of not being strongly dependent on the size or shape of the objects. The key parameter leading the process is ω/n, the ratio between the rotation rate and the orbital mean motion of the binary, which must be > 1. The proposed mechanism could also operate in other populations of minor bodies.