This article explores the potential of using kilometre-sized binary asteroids as targets for seismological studies of their interior structure by analyzing the mutual gravitational interaction that creates ground motion. It discusses the internal structures of asteroids, categorizing them into coherent bodies, fractured interiors, and rubble piles based on relative porosity and strength. The study highlights that spacecraft encounters with asteroids have provided critical context to telescopic observations, supporting the inference that small NEAs are rubble piles. It also emphasizes the importance of characterizing asteroid interiors for planetary defense. The article proposes deploying seismometers on binary asteroids to study their interior structures and tidal evolution, suggesting that asteroids in a binary configuration can serve as natural laboratories for understanding asteroid interiors.
https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/528/4/6568/7596572