@article{7fa1d34b570d46dfaa52222a535af890,
title = "Shape of (101955) Bennu indicative of a rubble pile with internal stiffness",
abstract = "The shapes of asteroids reflect interplay between their interior properties and the processes responsible for their formation and evolution as they journey through the Solar System. Prior to the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer) mission, Earth-based radar imaging gave an overview of (101955) Bennu{\textquoteright}s shape. Here we construct a high-resolution shape model from OSIRIS-REx images. We find that Bennu{\textquoteright}s top-like shape, considerable macroporosity and prominent surface boulders suggest that it is a rubble pile. High-standing, north–south ridges that extend from pole to pole, many long grooves and surface mass wasting indicate some low levels of internal friction and/or cohesion. Our shape model indicates that, similar to other top-shaped asteroids, Bennu formed by reaccumulation and underwent past periods of fast spin, which led to its current shape. Today, Bennu might follow a different evolutionary pathway, with an interior stiffness that permits surface cracking and mass wasting.",
author = "Barnouin, {O. S.} and Daly, {M. G.} and Palmer, {E. E.} and Gaskell, {R. W.} and Weirich, {J. R.} and Johnson, {C. L.} and {Al Asad}, {M. M.} and Roberts, {J. H.} and Perry, {M. E.} and Susorney, {H. C.M.} and Daly, {R. T.} and Bierhaus, {E. B.} and Seabrook, {J. A.} and Espiritu, {R. C.} and Nair, {A. H.} and L. Nguyen and Neumann, {G. A.} and Ernst, {C. M.} and Boynton, {W. V.} and Nolan, {M. C.} and Adam, {C. D.} and Moreau, {M. C.} and B. Rizk and {Drouet D{\textquoteright}Aubigny}, {C. Y.} and Jawin, {E. R.} and Walsh, {K. J.} and P. Michel and Schwartz, {S. R.} and Ballouz, {R. L.} and Mazarico, {E. M.} and Scheeres, {D. J.} and McMahon, {J. W.} and Bottke, {W. F.} and S. Sugita and N. Hirata and Watanabe, {S. I.} and Burke, {K. N.} and DellaGiustina, {D. N.} and Bennett, {C. A.} and Lauretta, {D. S.} and Highsmith, {D. E.} and J. Small and D. Vokrouhlick{\'y} and Bowles, {N. E.} and E. Brown and {Donaldson Hanna}, {K. L.} and T. Warren and C. Brunet and Chicoine, {R. A.} and T. Ireland",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.",
year = "2019",
month = apr,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1038/s41561-019-0330-x",
language = "English",
volume = "12",
pages = "247--252",
journal = "Nature Geoscience",
issn = "1752-0894",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
number = "4",
}