= Corotating tidal-disruption estimate for a uniform sphere
{title2=$R_{\min}\simeq[9M/(4\pi\rho)]^{1/3}$}
A small cohesionless spherical body of radius $s$ and density $\rho$ has surface self-gravitational acceleration $4\pi G\rho s/3$. The radial stretching of the <corotating point-mass tidal field> is $3GMs/R^3$. Equating them gives the displayed survival-distance estimate. The size $s$ cancels because both accelerations are linear in $s$ at fixed density. This is a local spherical force-balance estimate, not the exact fluid Roche figure: shape deformation, material strength and nonsynchronous spin can change its numerical coefficient.
Back to article page