It is pointed out that significant progress can be made in understanding asteroid collisional evolution and related phenomena by employing laboratory experiments of collisional breakup. The targets should have a spherical or irregular shape (up to axial ratios of the order of 2) and should be made up of different geological materials. It is noted that the interesting projectile velocities are of the order of the relative velocities commonly found among asteroids, that is, in the range 1-10 km/s. To obtain catastrophic collisions, the ratio of the projectile's kinetic energy to the target's mass must be chosen within a 'critical' range. A summary is given of the experimental work that needs to be done to refine knowledge on the collisional evolution of asteroids and on asteroid rotation rates, shapes, dynamic families, and spectro-photometric properties.
High-velocity impact experiments needed to improve our understanding of the asteroids
PAOLICCHI, PAOLO;FARINELLA, PAOLO;
1982-01-01
Abstract
It is pointed out that significant progress can be made in understanding asteroid collisional evolution and related phenomena by employing laboratory experiments of collisional breakup. The targets should have a spherical or irregular shape (up to axial ratios of the order of 2) and should be made up of different geological materials. It is noted that the interesting projectile velocities are of the order of the relative velocities commonly found among asteroids, that is, in the range 1-10 km/s. To obtain catastrophic collisions, the ratio of the projectile's kinetic energy to the target's mass must be chosen within a 'critical' range. A summary is given of the experimental work that needs to be done to refine knowledge on the collisional evolution of asteroids and on asteroid rotation rates, shapes, dynamic families, and spectro-photometric properties.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
