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Did the Hilda collisional family form during the late heavy bombardment?

Publication at Faculty of Mathematics and Physics |
2011

Abstract

We model the long-term evolution of the Hilda collisional family located in the 3/2 mean-motion resonance with Jupiter. Its eccentricity distribution evolves mostly due to the Yarkovsky/YORP effect and assuming that (i) impact disruption was isotropic and (ii) albedo distribution of small asteroids is the same as for large ones, we can estimate the age of the Hilda family to be 4(-1)(+0) Gyr.

We also calculate collisional activity in the J3/2 region. Our results indicate that current collisional rates are very low for a 200-km parent body such that the number of expected events over gigayears is much smaller than 1.