  Recent dynamical studies have identified pairs of asteroids that reside in
nearly identical heliocentric orbits. Possible formation scenarios for these
systems include dissociation of binary asteroids, collisional disruption of a
single parent body, or spin-up and rotational fission of a rubble-pile. Aside
from detailed dynamical analyses and measurement of rotational light curves,
little work has been done to investigate the colors or spectra of these unusual
objects. A photometric and spectroscopic survey was conducted to determine the
reflectance properties of asteroid pairs. New observations were obtained for a
total of 34 individual asteroids. Additional photometric measurements were
retrieved from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Moving Object Catalog. Colors or
spectra for a total of 42 pair components are presented here. The main findings
of this work are: (1) the components in the observed pair systems have the same
colors within the uncertainties of this survey, and (2) the color distribution
of asteroid pairs appears indistinguishable from that of all Main Belt
asteroids. These findings support a scenario of pair formation from a common
progenitor and suggest that pair formation is likely a compositionally
independent process. In agreement with previous studies, this is most
consistent with an origin via binary disruption and/or rotational fission.

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics