Which statement correctly describes the perihelion-related mass loss behavior of Gault?

• A. Gault loses mass at perihelion just like every asteroid.
• B. Gault never loses mass at perihelion.
• C. Gault's mass loss at perihelion is caused by a tidal interaction.
• D. Unlike some asteroids, Gault has not lost mass at perihelion, indicating the loss is not due to perihelion solar heating.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is whether a small body's mass loss is tied to how close it is to the Sun. If mass loss were driven by perihelion solar heating, we’d expect activity to occur or peak right near perihelion when the Sun’s warmth is strongest. For Gault, observations show that its dust shedding does not align with perihelion passages, so the loss isn’t caused by perihelion heating. This points to another mechanism, like rapid rotation that can shed surface material independent of the Sun’s distance. The statement captures that distinction: Gault has not shown mass loss specifically at perihelion, indicating perihelion solar heating isn’t driving the loss.