The role of catastrophic collisions in the evolution of asteroids is discussed in a review of recent theoretical investigations, in part based on the impact experiments of Fujiwara et al. (1977). Consideration is given to the nonnegligible self-gravitational binding of target-body fragments; the inequality relating the kinetic energy of the projectile to the solid-state cohesion and self-gravitation energy of the target body; and the conditions determining cratering vs catastrophic disruption in small asteroids and small-scale cratering vs fragmentation (to a loosely bound rubble pile) without escape of fragments vs fragmentation with some escape vs total disruption in large asteroids. The observational evidence is briefly surveyed, and it is concluded that most asteroids are the result of intense collisional evolution dominated by catastrophic events.
Collisional evolution in the asteroid system
PAOLICCHI, PAOLO;
1984-01-01
Abstract
The role of catastrophic collisions in the evolution of asteroids is discussed in a review of recent theoretical investigations, in part based on the impact experiments of Fujiwara et al. (1977). Consideration is given to the nonnegligible self-gravitational binding of target-body fragments; the inequality relating the kinetic energy of the projectile to the solid-state cohesion and self-gravitation energy of the target body; and the conditions determining cratering vs catastrophic disruption in small asteroids and small-scale cratering vs fragmentation (to a loosely bound rubble pile) without escape of fragments vs fragmentation with some escape vs total disruption in large asteroids. The observational evidence is briefly surveyed, and it is concluded that most asteroids are the result of intense collisional evolution dominated by catastrophic events.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
