Fitting the Light Curve of 1I/‘Oumuamua with a Nonprincipal Axis Rotational Model and Outgassing Torques

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the nonprincipal axis (NPA) rotational state of 1I/‘Oumuamua—the first interstellar object discovered traversing the inner solar system—from its photometric light curve. Building upon Mashchenko, we develop a model which incorporates NPA rotation and Sun-induced, time-varying outgassing torques to generate synthetic light curves of the object. The model neglects tidal forces, which are negligible compared to outgassing torques over the distances at which ‘Oumuamua was observed. We implement an optimization scheme that incorporates the NPA rotation model to calculate the initial rotation state of the object. We find that an NPA rotation state with an average period of 〈P〉 ≃ 7.34 hr best reproduces the photometric data. The discrepancy between this period and previous estimates is due to continuous period modulation induced by outgassing torques in the rotational model, as well as different periods being used. The best fit to the 2017 October data does not reproduce the 2017 November data (although the later measurements are too sparse to fit). The light curve is consistent with there being no secular evolution of the angular momentum, which is somewhat in tension with the empirical correlations between nuclear spin-up and cometary outgassing. The complex rotation of ‘Oumuamua may be the result of primordial rotation about the smallest principal axis if (i) the object experienced hypervolatile outgassing and (ii) our idealized outgassing model is accurate.