Open AccessBayesian statistical analysis of asteroid rotation rates
Author(s) -
Donnison J. R.,
Wiper M. P.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1999.02075.x
Subject(s) - asteroid , physics , rotation (mathematics) , population , astrophysics , statistical model , statistical physics , astronomy , statistics , geometry , mathematics , demography , sociology
Asteroid rotation rates have been analysed by many authors in the past, and one or more Maxwellian distributions have been fitted for various diameter ranges and taxonomic classes. The statistical results and physical interpretations of the models have varied widely. In this new approach we use Bayesian statistics to determine the separation of the larger asteroids, which are fitted with a single Maxwellian distribution, from the smaller asteroids, which are fitted by a mixture of Maxwellian distributions. It is found that the optimal separation occurs at about 32.5 km, and that a mixture of three Maxwellians comprising slow rotators, fast rotators and a population identical to the larger asteroids provides the best fit.