High-velocity impacts in porous solar system materials

High-velocity impacts on planetary surfaces are common events in the solar system. The conse-quences of such impacts depend, in part, on the properties of the target solar system body, such as surface strength, porosity and gravity. Bodies in the solar system exhibit a range of material properties, hence it is difficult to specify a general material model. Experimental investigations of impacts onto solar system sur- faces often use sand as an analogue material and hydrocode simulations of impact often assume a sand-like equation of state (EoS) and strength model, which is valid only for a limited range of porosities. To simu- late impact on smaller bodies in the solar system, such as asteroids, comets or smaller planetary satellites, requires a more appropriate material model. We compare iSALE-2D hydrocode simulations of impacts in porous granular materials with results from laboratory impact experiments made by [1] to test and refine a general-purpose material model applicable for a wide range of porous materials in the solar system. © 2012 American Institute of Physics