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Tidal disruption outcomes

Several distinct outcomes for tidal disruption were found by Richardson et al. (1998). The most severely disrupted rubble piles were classified as ``S'', a ``SL9-type'' catastrophic disruption forming a line of clumps of roughly equal size (a ``string of pearls'') with the largest fragment containing less than 50% of the progenitor's original mass. Less severe disruptions were classified as ``B'', break-up events where 10% to 50% of the rubble pile was shed into clumps (three or more particles) and single particles. Mild disruption events were classified as ``M'', with the progenitor losing less than 10% of its mass. As we will show below, each outcome class is capable of producing Geographos-like elongations and spin rates.



Bill Bottke
1998-12-13