Development of an Empirical Model of the Force between Paramagnetic Particles in Uniform Magnetic Field on M-type Asteroids

Abstract

M-type asteroids may have remanent magnetic fields. Regolith particles on M-type asteroids are likely to have metallic components, causing them to be paramagnetic and respond to an external magnetic field. Paramagnetic particles placed in an external magnetic field are influenced by induced magnetic moments of neighboring particles. Therefore, the magnetic force between regolith particles on an M-type asteroid can change the net cohesion of the regolith. Previous works have shown the influence of cohesive forces in the evolution of rubble-pile asteroids. This work characterizes the magnetic force between regolith particles on M-type asteroids. We implement existing models of the magnetic force between paramagnetic particles placed in an external magnetic field and then present an empirical model of this force for two magnetic field orientations as an essential step toward a general semiempirical model that the wider planetary science community can more easily use to investigate the significance of this force.