YORP effect
Meanings
noun
- The effect of solar radiation on an asymmetric asteroid or other small body whereby its rate of rotation increases, potentially leading to the object's eventual disintegration.
Word forms
Etymology
From the first letters of the surnames Yarkovsky, O'Keefe, Radzievskii and Paddack + effect. Coined in 2000 by American geophysicist David Perry Rubincam.
Synonyms
Related words
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